With or Without Me
by Deliverer
Summary: It was a race for their lives, the sharpteeth closing in. They were so close to escape then everything went horribly wrong. Now Ozzie is gone. Strut is without his brother for the first time in his life, and he feels totally lost. On his own he's not sure he'll make it. With a pack he's not sure he wants to. Ozzie was his world. Can he build a new one, or is the old one truly gone?
1. I Won't Leave You

**Land Before Time: With or Without Me**

I Won't Leave You

The struthiomimus brothers raced along the path still screaming in terror as the tyrannosaurus couple pursued them, driving them out of the valley. They managed to find a way up a cliff to a higher path and immediately started jumping. The sharpteeth chasing them, however, could jump too. Though they couldn't reach, they were coming uncomfortably close. On top of that, it was only a matter of time before the safety of this higher altitude was lost to a more level playing field again. If they hadn't gotten away from the enraged parents by that time, they wouldn't be getting away at all. "I knew from the start this was a bad idea! Ozzie, slow down!" Strut exclaimed.

"Keep moving or I'll leave you for dead!" Ozzie snapped back at his slower sibling. They rounded a corner and gasped. There was no more path left, and they were low enough for the sharp teeth to be able to almost snap them off the narrow ledge! Ozzie scowled, looking around. "There!" he said, pointing to a fallen tree. Strut screamed in panic, darting ahead as the T-rex pair almost snapped him off the cliff. Ozzie blinked, scowled, then followed. Strut made a leap for the log only to have his sibling snatch him back. "What have I already said? I'm always first!" He threw his sibling back and leapt on the log.

Strut gasped in fear, looking in horror at the nearing tyrannosaurus parents. Fortunately, the path through the ravine they'd darted into was narrowing excessively, so they enraged sharpteeth were forced to move slower and in single file. The tyrannosaurus male lunged, tackling the cliff and making the it shake, rocks falling loose and ground destabilizing. Strut cried out in fear, almost toppling down but managing to get back to solid rock. He ran to try for the log again. His brother was in the middle of it already. The cliff was struck again. The ground loosened a second time and rocks began raining. Suddenly there was a loud cracking sound. Strut slid to a stop, gasping. The log his sibling was on was collapsing with the stone ledge holding it! Suddenly it snapped, and with a cry of terror and fear Ozzie fell into the ravine, log and stones tumbling with him. "Ozzie!" Strut cried out in fear, racing ahead and looking down with a gasp of horror. His eyes widened. His brother had hit the ground hard and now was pinned beneath rocks and the trunk. Strut wasn't sure he liked how his sibling was bent or how the log had fallen on his spine.

LBT

Ozzie's eyes flickered open. What had just…? His eyes widened. The fall! He gasped, looking back in fear. The tyrannosaurus were coming! He shook his head in denial. He was carnivore food! This wasn't supposed to happen. "Ozzie!" he heard his brother cry out. He looked sharply up and gasped. Strut was leaping down the rocks to try and reach him!

"What are you doing?!" Ozzie freaked at his sibling. Strut landed next to him and raced over, trying to move the rocks off of his brother.

"Come on, Oz, we're almost there! They won't be able to get through this narrow pass!" Strut said. There was an enraged roar. The father could go no farther, he was too big, but the mother was still able to come, and she was heading right for them! Strut sped up the process of unburying his brother. Or trying to. So far he wasn't having much luck.

"Run already, you imbecile!" Ozzie commanded. "What are you waiting for?"

"Come on, Oz!" Strut frantically pled, tugging at his brother's arms as mama-saurous rex drew near, roaring vengefully.

"Strut, run!" Ozzie ordered, a hint of desperation in his voice. "You're not helping by trying to help! I can do it myself!"

Strut ignored his big brother—a rare thing indeed—and looked up at the T-rex in terror. He wasn't leaving his brother! No matter what. She was almost on top of them anyway by now. It wasn't as though he'd have much of a chance. He whimpered, crouching down next to his sibling and looking up at the mama-saurous with wide eyes. Ozzie gasped, covering his own head and closing his eyes as her head shot through the gap, mouth open wide to catch them, and then... Stopped? Ozzie and Strut looked up and almost cheered. She couldn't get her nose through! Oh this had to be the luckiest day of their lives, Strut figured. She tried ramming the walls, but they were too narrow and she couldn't manage to widen the space any further than she had.

It seemed forever, but it was only a few minutes, before she finally gave up, roaring in outrage. A threat, probably, and the way she and papa-saurous looked at them before finally turning to leave and find their son, was enough to drive home their point. That if they ever saw either of them again, they wouldn't get away a second time. All this for a stupid egg. This was all Ozzie's fault with his obsession over them, Strut decided! Couldn't he have just let one egg go? They were safe now, he told himself; that was all that mattered. Now he just had to dig his brother out and they could leave this valley forever.

LBT

"Th-they're gone," Strut said, eyes popping. He laughed. "Ozzie, they're gone, we did it! We got away!" he exclaimed, quickly turning to his brother with a wide smile. His grin fell to a curious and puzzled frown, though, on noticing that his sibling wasn't moving. "Ozzie?" he questioned. No response. "Ozzie," he insisted, kicking his brother's shoulder.

Ozzie winced and opened his eyes, lifting his head slightly and giving Strut an annoyed look. Annoyance, though, soon fell to something else. Something Strut hadn't seen on his brother ever in all their lives. Resignation. He didn't get why Ozzie was looking at him like that. There should be relief! His brother should be cheering with him. "This is why I always go first," Ozzie said, laying his head back on the ground and closing his eyes.

"Ozzie?" Strut asked, confused. Ozzie opened his eyes again, looking up at where he'd tried to cross the log. Strut caught on and his mouth parted slightly. A... a _protection_? Now that he thought about it, though, the same thing had happened when Ozzie had made him stay back while he crossed the log first during the whole volcano fiasco. Strut had thought it had become an 'every dino for himself' thing, but then the fire had caught the log and it had broken and his brother had fallen with it. Was it really all a protecting thing? His brother had just tried to make sure the tree was safe to cross or that there was time to get over it? Or had his sibling known there was no time to cross and taken the fall—no pun intended—for him instead? And when they were jumping to get away from those kids who they thought were really big flattooths, Ozzie had made him go first even when it was apparent the jump over the gorge was probably easily makeable for them. Was that to protect him too? To make sure he got away? It didn't seem those were answers Ozzie was going to give, though.

Ozzie harrumphed, laying his head down again. Strut heard him whimper in pain and snapped back to himself. "We've got to get you out of here!" he exclaimed, trying again to move the things off of his brother. He grunted and pushed, but they were too heavy and he couldn't move them! He gasped. That wasn't good. Surely there was some way! Maybe he needed a branch or something. Leverage to help with the rocks. He began scouting around.

"Don't trouble yourself. I'll get out when I get out," Ozzie said to him testily, scowling at his sibling with a growl. "Go on and find some place for us to stay. I'll catch up with you when I have the energy."

Strut paused, looking back. Something was… wrong… Off… Ozzie always found shelter. Ozzie didn't trust him to find good shelters or safe ones. Ozzie didn't trust him with much, come to think about it. "You… want me to go on ahead and find a shelter?" Strut incredulously asked. "Are you feeling alright, Oz?"

"Peachy," Ozzie bit back. "It's about time you learned to do things on your own, now go!"

"But-but I can't leave you here! We're out of the valley now and all sorts of predators are lurking around. You're trapped. You won't be able to defend yourself! We have to free you first. The shelter can wait," Strut stated, going back to scouting the ground. He grabbed a branch and went back to his sibling, trying to use it to help lift rocks. One or two more came off, but no more than that, and it still wasn't enough to free Ozzie. His brother looked like he was in intense pain. More than he was letting on. He noticed, suddenly, that Ozzie was suddenly quiet and still again, eyes shut. "Ozzie! Stay awake!" Strut insisted, terror growing with every minute that passed. Every sound had him jumpy and thinking predators were closing in. Surely they smelled the... His train of thought stopped abruptly. Smelled the blood, he realized in horror. He smelled blood. Sharply he looked at his sibling, eyes wide. "Ozzie?" he timidly questioned, wandering around his brother. "Ozzie?!" he demanded insistently. Ozzie's eyes opened again. Tired this time. Weak. He couldn't keep up the charade anymore. Strut felt a chill shoot through him. His brother was hurt worse than he'd suspected...

"Remember what I told you about eggs?" Ozzie asked.

"Thrice a day at least," Strut answered. How could he forget? The lecture had been colorful.

"Remember it," Ozzie said…

Flashback

They were starving. Ozzie knew it well. If they didn't eat soon, they were dead. Why did Strut have to insist on bringing their plight up constantly and whining and whining? He had given his brother a good tail lashing not long ago, and that had kept him quiet for a good while so far. Somehow he doubted Strut knew just how bad off they were. Ozzie had always pulled them through before, after all. Why should now be different? No matter how hungry they got, they wouldn't starve because big brother had it all under control.

But now was different… Now he wasn't sure if he could pull them through much longer. They crept along the hills of the valley and peered over a boulder. "Now is the time for all good little eggs to be safely tucked into their nests," Ozzie said, scanning the valley with an appraising eye. Finally. Food. His brother was hardly crawling, last he'd looked back at him. Weak, starving, exhausted... He was weak and exhausted too, he just couldn't show Strut that. Strut crawled up with a big yawn and laid down on the ground.

"I wouldn't mind being tucked in. I'm 'eggs'-hausted," his brother punned, giving a humorous little laugh before resting his head on his forearms. Ozzie immediately kicked back, beaning his sibling in the head.

 _Don't fall asleep you fool. Not when we're in this state. If you sleep you may not have the strength or energy to ever wake up again._

They had to eat something soon, or this valley would be their last resting place. "Would you stop complaining?" Ozzie demanded. The argument would keep his brother awake, he knew, and honestly, he needed to let out some of this pent-up anger. His subadult brother was the perfect scapegoat.

"But Ozzie, I'm tired. And I'm hungry," Strut whined, rubbing his sore head. He stood up. Ozzie couldn't deny the sense of relief going through him that his brother still could. He hadn't been sure for some time, now. Strut had been crawling for a good long while. "Couldn't I have just an itty, bitty little green bedtime snack?" he begged, licking his lips and salivating.

"No!" Ozzie replied, anger with a pang of desperation in his tone. "Can't you see I'm trying to wean you away from that stuff?" It wasn't as though it would do them much good at this stage anyway. It was part of their diet sure enough, that much he was loathe to admit, but it wasn't enough to keep them alive. Not now. Not at this stage. Their bodies needed more. More nutrition, more protein, more sustenance, something more substantial than vegetation. Would vegetation stave off the hunger pangs? Yes, and perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to let Strut eat some, but Ozzie was in a foul, stubborn, and cruel mood right now. He was in full survival mode and there was no way he was letting his sibling stuff himself on greens, go to sleep, and then never wake up again because it wasn't enough to keep the younger one going. His sibling's body could no longer be sustained on vegetation alone like it could be when they were children. Strut had to learn that now and learn it fast. "From now on you've got to think, feel, and breathe only one food group. Eggs. When I wake up first thing I do, eggs, is to look around for something to chew, eggsactly. Feeding myself is very, very tricky, because you see I'm ridiculously picky! Eggs," he began to sing, moving around his brother and touching him often, trying to keep the other on his toes and alert. Strut could not sleep now. Not when they were so close.

"Uh excuse me Ozzie, I uh…" Strut began.

He hardly let his brother get a word in edgewise, keeping himself moving and Strut alert. "This struthiomimus won't settle for the dregs. I'll borrow, I'll beg, I'd even kiss you…"

"Kiss me?!" Strut exclaimed in surprise.

"For my dear beloved dose, of eggs," Ozzie continued over top of his brother. When he sung that he would borrow, beg, and even kiss his sibling for eggs, he hadn't been joking. They needed them. Bad. He glared after his brother, who was walking off to examine a plant.

"Hey Ozzie I'm so hungry, I can't wait another minute! Here's a juicy little leaf with a beautiful stick in it. Can't I have a taste? If I promise just to lick it?" Strut asked with a nervous giggle.

"Strut!" Ozzie freaked.

"What?!" Strut questioned in alarm.

"You imbecilic eater! Great green globs couldn't possibly be sweeter!" Ozzie said, continuing on his semi-musical lecture once more, shoving the leaves in his sibling's face. "Than a pile of eggs!" Emphasize the qualities, make them desirable. "You've got to smell them feel them, oh crack them open. For a great big nest full I am hoping…" Bring out how delicious they would taste, imply that soon they would hopefully raid a whole nest, keep his brother hopeful. Again, interruption from Strut.

"Oh look I'm starving, I'm weak, there is nothing in my tummy! And the mold on that tree..." Strut began. He licked his lips. "Is starting to look yummy," he finished.

Strut was despairing and desperate. Ozzie saw it in his sibling's eyes and in his desperation to revert to plants. Strut, he realized, was starting to lose faith that they were getting out of this starvation predicament anytime soon, and so was wanting to gorge on vegetation which had never let them down before and was easier to get. Only, as already established, vegetation wasn't enough anymore. Not for them. All he could do was keep up with the singing, constantly emphasizing the qualities, the tastes, repeating to himself and his sibling that they would get eggs. "The colors and shapes and assorted sizes, gobble them all for appetizers, eggstacy," Ozzie lectured. He had no 'maybe' about it, only certainty. They were going to eat, they were going to feast in fact, and it would be delicious. That subliminal message, perhaps, would be enough to keep his brother's hope and desire up and keep him from giving in. At the same time, though, it could also just make him hungrier. But if he kept promising a feast, then when they finally got it, Strut would appreciate it all the more.

"Ozzie what's the matter with a little vegetation?" Strut whined.

"I've had it up to here with this aggravation!" Ozzie snapped, losing his temper.

"Well can't I just have this piece of a tree?" Strut pled.

Ozzie dragged him roughly—rougher than necessary—back. Why must Strut insist on being so stubborn? Wasn't he getting it? No, of course he wasn't. He hadn't exactly been the best teacher in these matters, Ozzie realized. He'd enabled, never taught. Now he was regretting it. It was time for damage control. "Why can't you be more like me?!" he demanded, losing his temper. "You leaf-loving..."

"Hey!" Strut protested. Ozzie ignored.

"Bush-burping, stem-smelling..." he continued

"Now wait a minute!" Strut tried to say.

"Garden-gorging, plant-popping, tree-tasting, dirt-devouring beast!" Ozzie freaked.

"Ozzie!" Strut pled, obviously hurt.

"You've got to have eggs! Thrice a day at least!" Ozzie finished, refusing to hear him. And thrice a day was actually a comfortable average ground for survival, but he could play it like it was minimal so that Strut would try harder and not be so argumentative with him. Strut gave up hopelessly, looking over the boulder sadly. "Tonight, we feast," Ozzie promised. Strut managed a small smile at the promise, feeling a bit better.

End Flashback

 _Remember it..._

"Why would I have to remember it?" Strut asked, voice wavering slightly. Why did he get the horrible feeling he knew the answer?

"Because I can't always be there to fend for you, you imbecile," Ozzie bit sharply. "It's about time you learned these things!" He should have taught them long ago. Then the crunch wouldn't be on now. He wouldn't be frantically scrambling to drive something home to his brother before… before it was too late and he couldn't… He hadn't thought he would ever leave his sibling. That was why he hadn't taught him as well as he should have. He'd always believed he would be there for Strut, to fend for and care for him as he always had… He hadn't expected things would happen like this and that maybe… maybe one day he couldn't… But he wouldn't let Strut know that. It was none of his business. He would learn soon enough. He didn't want to comfort a grieving sibling on top of everything else. Considering Strut would bother grieving him, that was.

Tears threatened Strut's eyes. He knew, you see, why there was this sudden change in his sibling. Why suddenly Ozzie was giving him more responsibility than ever before. He shook his head. "Don't give up, Ozzie, we're going to get you out," Strut confidently replied, shoving rocks again. Ozzie cried out in pain suddenly. Strut stopped, looking sharply over at him with wide eyes.

What was the use hiding it anymore? Strut knew, Ozzie realized. The younger one tried to play it naïve, but he sensed his brother knew. "Strut, will you just listen to me without being stubborn for once?! You have to go on. If I can catch up, I will."

"I'm not leaving you alone here! Who knows what's lurking about?" Strut demanded.

"Brother…" Ozzie suddenly said. Strut froze. Ozzie never called him that. Or rarely. And certainly never in that tone. When he did, it was serious. Gravely serious. He swallowed and looked timidly over at his sibling. "I can't come with you this time… Even if we manage to free me, I don't… I don't think I can move."

"Can't… can't move…?" Strut tensely questioned. His eyes went to the log on his brother's back. Dread filled his expression. Ozzie must believe that maybe the log had broken his back… Strut looked sharply at his brother again, eyes wide. He couldn't move the log for Ozzie to check either! It was too heavy. Strut heard a hiss and gasped, turning quickly. A raptor! It was a solitary one, and obviously hungry. It was pacing ahead of them, eying Ozzie. Ozzie whose eyes were shut again and who was laying still. "Ozzie?" Strut asked. "Ozzie what do I do?" No response. Strut gasped, looking down at his injured sibling. "Ozzie!" he exclaimed, shaking his brother lightly but urgently.

Ozzie's eyes flickered open. "Remember what I showed you. What I taught you. What you watched me do and how you watched me scavenge and steal and hunt. Remember it in your heart and soul always and don't let it go. It means life and death for you now, because I cannot. Not anymore. I can't be your barrier between them any longer. I'll distract it. Run, baby brother… Run and never look back," he said.

LBT

Strut gave a pained cry, realizing with a jolt how serious this was. Realizing with a jolt that this might really be it. This might really be the last time he saw his brother again. Realizing all that the other had tried to do for him since childhood and had tried to teach. He regretted not listening now. He regretted how much he whined and complained and didn't pay attention. He regretted everything. "Ozzie, don't give up! I'll be a better student, I promise! I'll listen to you more often and everything! Just don't go."

The raptor roared threateningly, making Strut gasp, and moved quickly towards them before stopping again and pacing, trying to intimidate the other dinosaur into getting out of the way of its prey. Intimidate it into leaving or kill it as well. In fact, it would probably kill the uninjured one too simply because it could. Strut gulped, eying the predator fearfully and starting to pace in front of his injured brother. Ozzie dryly chuckled. "I was never much of a brother, was I…?" he realized to himself. My but he'd been awful, looking back now. "For that I'm sorry…" he added to Strut.

"No. No, don't say that! You were the best big brother ever!" Strut insisted, stopping and looking frantically back at him. It was said more to make Ozzie feel better, though. He couldn't deny that his brother… hadn't exactly been the nicest to be around.

"No, Strut, I wasn't, so don't lie to me now, and certainly don't lie to yourself. I was cruel, I was abusive, I was harsh, and I was selfish," Ozzie said. "And I don't regret or apologize for any of it… Though looking back I suppose if I had a chance to change it now, I would; but only because…" Because I'm on my deathbed, he inwardly finished. He didn't voice the thought out loud. It didn't need to be said. They both knew it was so. Or at least he did, if Strut didn't. "Only because," he finished _._

 _Because it would have been something of a mercy and luxury for you to have at least one or two good memories._

LBT

Strut was silent, numb, mouth agape. He couldn't be hearing this. This blood on the ground couldn't be his sibling's, he wasn't going to be alone, his brother wasn't dying! He could save him, he could! He just needed a little time! The raptor roared furiously once more. That would be its last threat. Strut jumped, gasping and shivering in fear, bending down. "Run, Strut," Ozzie commanded. "Run now, while you still have a chance!"

Tears falling freely now, Strut shot an anguished look at Ozzie, to the predator, back to Ozzie, then back to the predator once more. Suddenly Strut scowled. No. No, he wasn't going to leave! He wasn't going to let the meat eaters have his brother, he wouldn't, he couldn't, no, no, never! He gave a loud and threatening screeching roar at the raptor, getting into a defensive stance and pacing more determinedly. "I'm not leaving," he said to his brother.

"Strut? What are you doing? It's going to kill you. Strut!" Ozzie freaked. The raptor charged. "No!" Ozzie cried out, trying to free himself again. Of course it failed, he hardly knew if he was even moving, but he couldn't watch this, no!

Strut charged right back, dodging the teeth and checking the predator violently into the cliff. He began ripping at it with his claws, lashing with his tail, stomping with his feet, and using rocks if he could. Of course, he would stand no chance against it. Or wouldn't have, rather, if: A. He hadn't taken it off guard; B. It hadn't been half his size if not less, one of the smaller raptors no doubt; C. If it hadn't been young, very young, likely a junior; D. If he hadn't landed a solid kick to its head right off the bat, stunning it. The raptor, while determined, was no fool, and it roared angrily at the omnivorous opponent. Strut gave the screeching roar right back. The raptor blinked. It should be able to kill him, it knew. It should be able to so easily. But it was impressed with the bravery, it had to admit. Plus this prey was almost fully grown, not quite but almost, and the raptor was only recently starting its growth spurt. It roared at the struthiomimus viciously. It would find others and they would return for the injured one eventually. Or maybe they'd find better prey. Tastier prey. They would see, it supposed. It ran off, Strut glaring dangerously after it.

The minute it was out of sight, Strut gasped in relief and grinned back at his brother. "Ozzie, did you see that? I drove it off! Ozzie!" he said. He stopped, grin falling to alarm. His brother was still again. "Ozzie?" he timidly asked, approaching and nuzzling his brother. No movement. He nudged him again. "Ozzie!" he cried out desperately. Still no movement. For a moment Strut feared he was dead. He heard a groan of pain, though, and realized the other was still alive. He didn't know what to do… Maybe if Ozzie recovered he could get out, but that would require making sure Ozzie survived long enough to recover, and he didn't know if he could… But he would try. He had to! It was too late to find food now, but first thing tomorrow he would. He would take care of his sibling, as Ozzie had taken care of him for all this time. Strut whimpered helplessly and huddled down next to his brother, stretching himself over what parts of Ozzie were visible to keep him warm and safe. He groomed the other, trying to wake him up. Ozzie didn't stir and Strut gave it up and lay his head down miserably. He silently wept that night and slept only fitfully.

LBT

Days had passed, so far. It had been nothing but hardship for Strut. He wasn't used to being the protector and provider. He went out to find food, he brought back vegetation or eggs. Usually from abandoned nests or eggs that hadn't hatched because they were dead. He begged, like his brother sometimes used to, for nesting dinosaurs who didn't look like they would leave the nest unattended anytime soon, to tell him if they knew of any abandoned nests or recently orphaned eggs. After, of course, he managed to convince them not to kill him and that he wasn't after their own eggs unless said eggs were dead or wouldn't ever hatch. So far the results had been surprisingly good, but he didn't know if that would last. Life in the Mysterious Beyond was hard. He would have to resort to snatching, soon. He didn't like doing that. It was dangerous and he'd never actually tried it himself before. It was always Ozzie doing the actual dangerous part of stealing the eggs. He didn't.

Strut brought back the recent egg and put it in front of his brother. Ozzie opened his eyes, looking at it, but then closed them again. He just didn't have the energy or strength for it now. He never ate. Strut sometimes had to force him to. It hurt him to do that to his own brother, but he had to keep Ozzie alive. He nuzzled his brother encouragingly. Ozzie didn't open his eyes or even acknowledge him more than turning to look away. He also found himself having to force his brother to drink too sometimes. It hurt. Badly. He didn't know what to do anymore. Ozzie wasn't getting better and predators were menacing the area around them and he just... He didn't know... He'd had to play injured and lead meat eaters away from where his sibling was so many times that he'd lost count. He feared that one day, when he was gone, they would find Ozzie and he would come back to a corpse. Or nothing, if they really worked him over well. That thought made him physically sick. His brother hadn't spoken to him. He didn't think he ever would again. He feared that more than anything. Ozzie seemed to be all but screaming 'leave me to die', and Strut wasn't going to. Not now, not ever.

"Ozzie, I'm going to take care of you," Strut said. "Whether you like it or not I will. And if I die protecting you so be it. At least we'll die together. I can't… I won't let you die alone…" he continued, voice breaking. "Don't hate me, please."

Ozzie sighed. "I don't hate you," he answered softly. He wanted to beat his brother senseless for putting himself in mortal peril for someone who couldn't be saved—didn't his brother know he was only stalling the inevitable and dragging out his death longer than it needed to be?—but he didn't hate him.

Strut sniffed and licked his brother's head affectionately. He used his nose to break a hole in the egg and silently pled for his sibling to take an interest. Ozzie didn't. "Ozzie…" Strut whined. Ozzie growled in his throat in the high-pitched way their kind had. Nonetheless, he raised his head weakly and lapped slash ate up a bit of the inside until he couldn't keep his head up anymore and lay it back down. Needless to say that only took a few seconds. Strut, relieved he'd at least eaten a little bit, immediately set to work trying to move the stones again. He didn't know why each time he tried he hoped they'd be lighter. They never were, they never would be. But maybe he would get stronger? Strong enough to move them at least. He didn't expect it to move. When it did, his eyes flew open. He'd moved it? He'd moved it! His determination renewed, he pushed harder, grunting and groaning. His brother wasn't screaming out. Why? He should be. This had to be so painful… The boulder rolled free! Strut cheered in victory. His brother wasn't free yet, but he was closer to being that! He turned to Ozzie excitedly, hoping to see a glimmer of hope in his sibling's eyes. Nothing. Ozzie was still and silent. Again. He couldn't stay awake long anymore. It terrified Strut. Wasn't he doing a good enough job? He was trying so hard!

He looked at the tree on his brother. That wouldn't be moved any time soon. "You need to stop, Strut," Ozzie suddenly said. "Any day the predators will be here."

"Then I'll die alongside you, Ozzie. We've always been together, always. I've always followed you everywhere! If I have to follow you to death too, I will, you can't stop me!" Strut insisted. Ozzie would have tail clubbed him, if he could.

"I never asked for your loyalty and I certainly didn't want it," he sharply replied.

"You didn't need to ask or want it. We're brothers," Strut said. "It's what we do."

"You are so pathetically naïve," Ozzie nipped. Strut sighed and laid down next to him.

"I'm not leaving," the younger stated.

"You have to," the eldest replied. "Dear brother, can't you see I'm spent?"

"You're never spent," Strut insisted. "You always make it."

"Not this time," Ozzie said exhaustedly. Though he wanted to be able to.

"Even this time," Strut said. "You won't do it alone, but I'm doing everything I can to help you and I won't give up so you shouldn't either!"

Ozzie looked at his brother. After a moment he licked him lovingly. "I do not deserve such loyalty," he said to his sibling, nuzzling him gently. Probably the most affectionate he'd ever been with his brother in their entire lives.

"Yes you do. Night Ozzie," Strut said, smiling and closing his eyes, sleeping while his brother groomed him lightly. At least it was a sign of life. Maybe Ozzie wasn't giving up yet at all...

LBT

Strut could only gape in horror and agony at the pool of blood on the ground where his brother had lain. The eggs fell from his arms numbly. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There was nothing there… Just so much blood… He gave a strangled cry and raced towards the area, willing his eyes to be deceiving him… But they weren't… His brother wasn't there and there were bones on the ground. What else was he supposed to take from that? He was gone… Just gone… Strut gave an anguished cry and burst into tears, huddling against the rocks and willing this not to be true. Where was his brother? Where? Where?! …He knew… He knew… "Ozzie!" Strut cried out in anguish, giving a screeching roar afterwards that was so loud that he swore it carried for miles. Good. Then they would know, for miles, that there had been someone lost whose loved one was grieving so much that it hurt to even breathe or think. For miles they knew another had fallen, one adored more than even he himself had ever known. Strut sniffed. He hadn't even gotten to say goodbye or 'I love you' or anything… Ozzie was just gone, and his world crumbled around him.

He wished the predators that had taken his brother would come back and take him too… He stayed in that spot for days hoping as much, neither eating or drinking, before finally, even in his grief, he rose and got up to find food and water. Weak, dehydrated, broken… But he had to survive… For his brother's sake he had to. Ozzie would have wanted him to… But he didn't think he was ready… He would never be ready… He just wanted his big brother back, but Ozzie wasn't _coming_ back. Not this time… This time he was truly and completely alone, and he had never felt more lost and afraid in his life…


	2. Because You Needed Help

Because You Needed Help

Strut walked listlessly through the mysterious beyond, head bowed low and eyes shut in grief. Alone. Completely and totally alone. No one and nothing. Just… just him. By himself. Hoping and praying he didn't run into a predator he couldn't deal with. He sluggishly looked up and around, hearing thunder. A bad storm was coming, probably. Which meant he needed to find shelter. He looked up a cliff. There was a cave there. He leapt up towards it and finally reached the ledge it was on. He peered inside cautiously. It didn't seem anything had claimed it already, so he guessed _he_ would. He entered it just as the clouds broke open and sky water poured from above. Strut whimpered and huddled up into a tight ball, watching it nervously. He hated rain and storms. He hated them so much. They terrified him ever since they had watched their father and all their unhatched siblings get washed away by it, when the rocks collapsed and toppled them all into a flood of the stuff from a river - running water as others called it - that burst its banks. Only their mother and he and Ozzie got away. Strut could still hear his father's scream…

Thunder cracked and Strut gasped, covering his head. "Ozzie!" he cried out. Before remembering, of course, that this time his brother wasn't there to get snippy and ask something like 'What is it _this_ time?', even though Ozzie would know exactly what was wrong. Strut's expression filled with grief and he sobbed, closing his eyes tightly.

LBT

 _"_ _Ozzie!" Strut cried out in terror._

 _"_ _What is it_ _ **this**_ _time?" Ozzie asked in annoyance, cracking and eye open and glaring darkly at his brother._

 _"_ _Ozzie, the sky is roaring again!" Strut exclaimed._

 _"_ _You mean thunder? Just close your eyes and go to sleep, Strut," Ozzie replied. Strut whimpered and closed his eyes again. It cracked loudly and he screamed in fear, leaping up and diving into the back of the cave where his brother slept. "What on Earth?!" Ozzie exclaimed, even though Ozzie was used to this sort of behavior from Strut and honestly had seen it coming. Sure enough Strut was huddled up close to him, shivering like a leaf. "Oh for the love of… It's only a storm!" Ozzie shot. The thunder roared so loudly and shook the cave and this time even Ozzie jumped a little. Strut huddled closer._

 _"_ _Make it go away," he begged. He may have been fully grown—well, not totally, but close to it at least—but he just couldn't get over this fear no matter how hard he tried or how hard Ozzie tried to make him._

 _"_ _Pathetic," Ozzie sneered. "You're acting like a hatchling!" Strut didn't move, still shaking. "Fine! But this is the last time, do you understand? I expect you to grow up and learn to weather these things. If it's the last thing I do I'll see you brave enough to sleep alone in a storm." It never was the last time. Ozzie always said that but then always allowed him to sleep next to him when he got too scared and couldn't manage to weather the storm. Which was never, no matter how hard he tried to. Ozzie wrapped his tail around his brother and rested his head over the other one's. Strut whimpered as the thunder cracked again. Ozzie rolled his eyes and held his tail a little tighter around his sibling, nuzzling him reassuringly. "Go to sleep, Strut. It's only a storm. It will pass. Like it always does. Every time. Haven't you learned by now there's nothing to fear from it?"_

LBT

Strut grimaced in sadness and opened his eyes, looking out at the storm. Thunder boomed practically right outside, shaking the cave. Strut gasped and crept back a little ways, but he didn't look away from it. Ozzie wasn't here this time. He had to do this by himself.

 _If it's the last thing I do I'll see you brave enough to sleep alone in a storm…_

Strut's eyes narrowed in determination. Thunder echoed again. He winced, but he didn't jump this time, or crawl back. He crawled a bit ahead, in fact, almost defiantly. His brother had wanted him to be brave. His brother would be so proud to see him now, creeping towards it instead of away. Even if Ozzie wouldn't show he was proud, and would probably say something passively insulting, he would be, because that was just Ozzie's way. He imagined how proud his sibling would be if he could face the storm tonight and sleep…

Would have been… Ozzie was gone… He was really gone. That pain and terror frightened him far more than any storm ever had, and Strut gazed tearfully out into the downpour. He wished he could see his brother coming towards him, trying to find him. If he could just hear Ozzie's voice again and be able to call out to him. Of course he didn't, and he couldn't. He never would be able to again… But if he imagined hard enough, he could almost feel Ozzie's presence at his side like he used to be, sleeping next to him and protecting and comforting him… If he closed his eyes he could see his brother there, and even when he opened them, for a brief second he would see Ozzie sleeping beside him dreaming of eggs, probably, or opening an eye and giving him a wry little smirk. Then the image would fade and reality would hit, but he felt braver. He felt peaceful. He closed his eyes, laying down his head, and imagined and dreamt, and he could almost see his brother looking back at him from the entrance of the cave and giving him a sly yet somehow proud smirk before racing off into the torrent forever…

LBT

Strut's eyes flickered open with the morning light, and he yawned. "Morning Oz," he said with a smile. Wait. Said smile faded and he looked around. Ozzie wasn't there, and memory and sadness crushed down around him once more. He'd almost hoped it had all been some nightmare and his brother wasn't really gone after all. It seemed that wasn't so. He felt an all too familiar burning in his eyes and closed them tightly, grimacing. He stood up, stretching, then went sadly to the entrance of the cave, looking around. There was more than enough water to drink now. He would start there then work on the food issue later. He leapt down from his cave and lapped up some of the water. There was a bit of grass and he hesitated to try it. He knew Ozzie wouldn't like it, but Ozzie wasn't here, and it wasn't like green food wasn't part of the diet their kind ate. They could make do with pretty well anything they could manage to eat or catch. He nibbled on some of the grasses and went after a few bugs that he spotted. He remembered Ozzie's words. Eggs thrice a day at least. Well, maybe he could start with once or twice a day instead. He didn't really like the idea of robbing eggs. It seemed… wrong in a way. Maybe, though, he could find an abandoned nest.

Ozzie said a good way to find eggs was to follow the predators. Most paid no attention to them, they weren't their main food, and if you stayed far enough away from them they didn't bother going after you. When they took down flatteeth, though, most of the time the reason the flatteeth didn't run was because they were protecting their nests. Which meant that more often than not, when a flattooth was killed, a nest was newly orphaned and fresh for raiding. Sometimes, if they were up to it or if Ozzie wanted something extra special and unique, they would nose around in leftovers that the sharpteeth left behind and swallow some of those bits of meat and whatnot. Maybe even go after fish to swallow sometimes, if they wanted a treat. They weren't really scavengers, they were omnivores who ate whatever they were able to in order to survive. With a heavy preference for eggs and vegetation. Ozzie had always been totally obsessed with eggs, though, more than anything else. Those 'treats' of meat and fish were usually just for Strut's sake. Ozzie would have taken eggs always if given the chance.

Strut climbed up to higher ground and looked around. He saw a sharptooth some distance away, battling with a badly injured plant eater. He could tell the sharptooth was winning. Sure enough, only moments later the flattooth gave a death bellow and lay still. Strut started cautiously towards them both. They were far, but he could cover a lot of distance really fast. His kind were faster than even velociraptors were. Quickly enough he was there, crouching behind a rock and watching as the sharptooth ate. When he saw it was preoccupied and not likely to go after him unless he came too close to its kill, Strut began walking around sniffing out the nest that might be nearby. Ozzie always had the better sniffer. Strut hadn't been born with a very good one. Something went wrong, he supposed, but he could still manage with it. If he really tried. His hearing was better than Ozzie's though, and most of their species apparently, because his nose wasn't great and so he compensated with hearing… He could always hear the movement inside of the eggs… That was another reason he avoided nest robbing, and another reason Ozzie sniffed out the nests and not him…Another reason Ozzie sniffed out the nests and not him… He wanted his brother back…

Leaping over a rock, he spotted the nest. It looked recently dug, which meant it hadn't been long ago that the flattooth had mated. These eggs wouldn't likely survive without their mother, he believed, and given there was no father around he would bet the male was dead too. He cringed, bowing his head guiltily, but Ozzie was right. Vegetation wasn't enough anymore. Not for him. He needed the nutrients of the eggs to survive. His brother would want him to survive… He would die eagerly, though, if it meant it got his brother back… He began raiding the nest. He would get these eggs back to his cave. He'd have enough to last him a few days. He didn't need to search again for a while, considering no other egg-eaters came by while he was carting the eggs back.

LBT

Strut was in the process of transporting the eggs back along the ridge towards his cave when he heard something. He turned in the direction of the sound and gasped. Across the ravine there was a group of his own kind! He hadn't seen another of his own—aside from Ozzie—in years, let alone a whole group! He was a little nervous about being spotted by them. He wouldn't know how to greet them or even if he'd be received kindly. Maybe he was better off with just Oz. Wait. There _was_ no Ozzie anymore… Just him alone. Did he really think he could survive like that, alone? He honestly didn't know. He was about to leave when he saw some of them holding their stomachs as if starving. There weren't many babies, but those that were there were crying in hunger while their parents tried to reassure them. There were a good number of his kind, about twelve. Two babies—which struck a painful chord in Strut's heart as he remembered Ozzie—their mom and dad, three more males, and five more females. They must not have had anything to eat for a while now.

Strut cringed and looked back at his hoard. There were twelve eggs in total that he had collected from the area. Just enough to feed all of them one each—except the babies, who would have to share one—and himself. He looked down at them. They seemed like they planned to rest there the night and sleep hungry. It didn't look like the children would survive another night without food, and their parents seemed to know it too, as they were crying. Strut shifted uneasily. So much for having eggs enough to last him a few days, but he couldn't let them just starve now, could he? He hurried along his ridge, searching for a way across. A narrow gap right here. He could jump that. He leapt, landing perfectly, and ran towards the others.

Nearing them, Strut began to slow, approaching cautiously. They caught wind of him and immediately the males turned with growls, forming a line between him and the females and babies. "Um, hello there, sorry to bother you but, um, I was watching you all from up there," Strut awkwardly said, pointing towards his ridge. The herd glared at him a long moment before turning to look up. They turned back to him.

"Go away, lone one. We aren't about to accept strays into this herd. We can hardly feed ourselves as it is," one of the males said, the apparent leader of them.

"Oh I didn't come to join you, no. I just, I couldn't help but notice you were, um, hungry, and I happened to have collected a good number of eggs. Twelve, at least, and I saw the little ones starving and I thought that twelve was a bit much for me anyway so maybe, if you wanted, you could each have one? The babies would have to share one together, but the eggs are rather big so I don't think they could eat a whole one themselves anyway," Strut awkwardly said. Oh what he wouldn't have given for Ozzie to be here and doing the talking. Of course if Ozzie were here, the last thing he would have done was share the eggs with this random herd they—just he now, Strut sadly reminded himself—didn't even know.

"You're… offering to share your plunder?" one of the other males asked incredulously.

"Um, yes? Why? Is that not the right thing to do?" Strut questioned.

"Is something wrong with you?" another male asked.

"W-With me? N-no! I mean, I don't have the best sniffer, I wasn't hatched with a very good sense of smell, but other than that…" Strut began.

"We don't mean like that, boy. You aren't behaving… naturally," the father of the two little ones said.

"Oh, um, sorry. I'm, um, not exactly sure _how_ to. Behave in a 'natural' way with a herd, that is, whatever 'natural way' means. It's only been just me and my brother since we were not much more than hatchlings. He's the only other struthiomimus, err, egg stealer, I've ever actually, well, encountered. Ever. Since mother died when we were very young," Strut said. "I just want to help."

"You won't last long out here, stranger. Not if you share your food," one of the females—one with a very sly and sassy look in her eyes—said to him.

Strut was quiet. He wasn't sure he wanted to last long out here anyway. Not without his brother. Ozzie was gone and he just… he felt so incomplete and scared and vulnerable. "I'll take that chance," Strut finally said.

"Why? Why would you do this?" one of the other females questioned, curiously approaching him. She was the only one brave enough to have sniffed around him yet. He watched curiously and guardedly, tensed up. He was feeling threatened by this group.

"Well, because you need help," Strut confusedly answered. Wasn't that reason enough? That was the reason Ozzie always gave for not abandoning him after mother died. Or killing him or letting him die…

Flashback

Strut sat by his mother's body, sniffing and shaking her for the dozenth time. He heard footsteps. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. "When will mummy wake up?" he asked his brother, voice breaking. His brother didn't answer. Strut sniffed again, wiping his nose and huddling close to her. He made a pitiful sound, a plea for her to respond. She didn't. She kept lying still. "Mummy, I'm hungry!" Strut insisted. Maybe mommy would wake up to feed them finally. It had been two days and he hadn't left the cave once. He was too little to find eggs and break their shells, and it was too dangerous for a small hatchling to go out searching for water alone. Ozzie had. He wasn't supposed to, mommy said he wasn't supposed to, but the first day mommy fell asleep Ozzie left… Ozzie hadn't come back for two days either. It had been just him all alone, begging mommy to get up.

"She won't wake up," Ozzie's voice replied. "Ever again."

"Why?" Strut asked, looking miserably back at his sibling.

Ozzie was quiet. "Because mommy is dead…" he answered bluntly, no hint of emotion, tone hollow. Ozzie left the cave crying, when mommy had first lain down and not got up. Maybe Ozzie had no more tears to shed. Strut did, though, and he burst into sobs, screaming for his mother to get up again. She couldn't be dead, she couldn't!

LBT

Ozzie had dragged him outside of the cave now. Strut was all huddled up looking miserable. Ozzie was quiet, sitting and watching from their perch. "Where did you go?" Strut asked finally, voice breaking.

Ozzie was quiet. "I left," he finally answered.

"Why?" Strut questioned. Ozzie was again silent.

 _Because I have a better chance of surviving without you. One mouth to feed is easier than feeding two. For me to survive, you had to die…_

"Because I needed to find food for us," he answered out loud. What was he doing? He should throw his brother from the cliff. His brother, so trusting, so young, so weak and naïve. It would be painless, he told himself. When Strut fell asleep he would throw him off of the cliff. Strut wouldn't feel anything, after all, and he would have food. Maybe. He could try at least, because he hadn't found any other food anywhere and even though he wasn't a meat eater—they didn't even have much for teeth really—he could swallow strips of meat. It was all he had right now. If he couldn't eat soon, he would die. He might die anyway.

"Did you?" Strut questioned.

Ozzie looked at him a moment. "None that I had the stomach to eat," he answered.

"But Ozzie, we're going to starve without mummy! We have to eat something! _Anything_ ," Strut insisted.

"No… not anything…" Ozzie answered. Strut was confused at the reply but didn't press. He sniffed, bowing his head low again. His tummy hurt. And he felt so, so thirsty. "Follow me. There's water not far," Ozzie said.

Strut looked meekly up. "I don't want to leave," he said, voice breaking.

"Then die here," Ozzie bitterly answered. Strut gasped at the cruelty in his brother's words. He watched Ozzie leap down from their cave and run off, leaving him behind again. This time Ozzie wouldn't come back, and he wasn't big enough or fast enough to catch his brother even if he tried to go after him now. Strut's eyes welled with tears and he turned around, slinking back into the cave to lay beside mummy.

 _Die here…_

And he would… He began sobbing again, cuddling close to mummy.

LBT

Strut felt someone nuzzling him. He didn't have the strength or will to open his eyes. If it was a predator, he hoped it would eat him swiftly. He felt the nuzzle again. He tried to open his eyes but just couldn't. "Strut! Get up!" a familiar voice sharply ordered.

Strut managed to flicker open his eyes this time, working with the little bit of strength hope had just brought him now. That was Ozzie's voice! He hoped it wasn't a dream. He blinked to clear his blurry vision. It _was_ Ozzie! "Ozzie!" he tried to cry, but his voice came out rough and hoarse. His throat was dry and his mouth felt like sandpaper.

"Drink up already," Ozzie commanded. Strut looked down. There was a tree star filled with water laying in front of him! He looked up at his brother gratefully and began lapping it up thirstily. Ozzie pushed another one up to Strut. Strut drank that one just as fast, and five more besides before feeling alive again. "Eat up. We have a journey to make," Ozzie commanded, urging Strut to eat the tree stars as well, and the other vegetation he'd gathered together. Which was a lot. Greedily and hungrily Strut ate.

"Oz, aren't you having any?" he questioned his sibling.

"I already ate," Ozzie answered. Which was true. He had. He'd ensured he'd eaten first and drank his fill. He'd half hoped Strut would be dead by the time he got back, but at the same time he'd hoped he wouldn't be too late. If Strut died, he'd be all alone. Soon Strut was filled up.

"What journey are we going on, Ozzie?" Strut questioned.

"A long one. To a place where there is lots of food and water. I heard about it from a passing group of our kind. They had only just come from it," Ozzie answered.

"Why did they leave it?" Strut wondered.

"They hoped to find better," Ozzie answered. "But what they lose is our gain. Now those grounds will be ours alone."

"Where is the place, Ozzie?" Strut asked.

"It's called the Valley of the Mists. There's a great valley out there somewhere as well, so I'm told, but it's farther away. Much farther. We'll have to be much bigger if we want to make that trip, so we'll settle in the misty one for now," Ozzie stated. "We will be okay there, Strut, I promise."

"I thought you were going to leave me," Strut admitted, head bowed. "Why didn't you when I made you so mad?"

"Because you needed help," Ozzie answered. And truth be told, he felt that _he_ would too. Strut grinned widely at his sibling. This time, after they said goodbye to mummy one last time, he followed his brother into their new lives.

End Flashback

The herd looked curiously at Strut when he gave his reason for offering to aid them. Because you need help… Finally, the leader answered, "Lead the way. Strut nodded and raced off. They followed him."


	3. A New Pack

A New Pack

(A/N: Thank you to the reviewer who has reviewed this story, and to any who may review in future. Feedback from them is much appreciated, so thank you again.)

Strut watched the herd eat, curious. He'd never been around so many in his life! He nursed his own egg slowly while they were gobbling theirs up. When they were all finished—still hungry yes, but good to go a little longer and good to rest—Strut said, "You can sleep here if you want. It's more protected than out on that place you were before."

The others looked warily up at him. He seemed oblivious as to why they should be wary. "Maybe we will," the leader finally replied.

"Thank you, err…" one of the females began.

"Oh. How silly of me. I forgot to tell you my name. I'm Strut," Strut said, smiling.

"Thank you, Strut," the female who had been nosing around him finished for the other.

"Suppose we should return the favor. The two little ones? Their names are Hop and Skip. Their folks are Rudy and Julie. These two other males, they're Don and Marcus. The females are Deborah, Janine, Sienna, Rylie, and Christine," the leader introduced. Strut recognized Christine as the one who had been nosing around him, and Sienna as the one with the bewitching eyes that probably had lots of males scampering for her when she was in heat. "Me, I'm Thief," the leader said. Strut looked back at him and nodded. He probably wouldn't remember all the names, but at least he had them to put to faces or try.

"How did you learn to find eggs so efficiently?" the female named Janine questioned. Deborah had been the one fishing for his name.

"Oh, I-I learned from… from my brother," Ozzie answered.

"You mentioned a brother. What's his name? Is he as cute as you?" Rylie asked with a giggle, which earned her an annoyed glare from Marcus. He was probably her mate, Strut figured, as Rylie shot him a teasing look right after saying it.

Strut was quiet. "Ozzie," he answered after a moment. "And I wouldn't know if he is or isn't as, um, cute as me."

"From your brother, eh? Care to share a few tips?" Don questioned.

"W-Well, first I go around and ask dinosaurs with nests if they knew of any nests that are recently abandoned or orphaned, or if they have any eggs that won't hatch," Strut replied. "Then I get those ones first. Ozzie told me to do that because I don't feel comfortable or safe taking from nests that aren't abandoned. Ozzie always did the stealing part because I don't like it." Again, because he could hear the movement inside the eggs if there was any, so yeah…

"You… ask…?" Rudy incredulously questioned. That was an interesting tactic.

"We had to when we were small. We didn't have enough strength to be able to move an egg very far from its nest. We usually just ate green food then. I didn't want eggs so if we ever got one Ozzie would usually have it. He was sick of green food by then. I think it was kind of an act of defiance on his part, though I never figured out why. He just didn't like green food. Anyway, that kind of stuck even when we grew up, and it was still efficient. Egg hunting was practically second nature to Ozzie. If no one could tell us anything, then we would follow predators. Ozzie said that following predators was good because whenever they killed a flattooth or something else, a nest was newly orphaned, most of the time, because flatteeth usually won't run away from sharpteeth if they're trying to protect their eggs. More often than not, when the prey fell, there was a nest not far off and we could get it because the sharpteeth would be too busy eating their kill to bother with us. That got us tons. That's where most of these eggs came from, actually. If we couldn't get by on that, like if there were no predators somewhere, then we stole. Well, Ozzie stole. I don't like doing that and I didn't like him doing it because it was always dangerous and lots of parents tend to seek revenge. We had to run for our lives plenty of times. If there weren't any eggs at all, we usually went hungry until we found a river and maybe had a few fish, or swallowed bits of meat from a predator's kill that had been abandoned, or ate vegetation. Well, I did, but Ozzie didn't like me to. Something about it not being enough to sustain me anymore, I think. He was trying to wean me away from green food, but I, personally, like it better than anything else we eat." The others looked amazed. Strut looked around. "What?" he asked.

"Kid, you're talking about tactics not even some of the best egg stealers have mastered. And you're saying they're second nature to your brother?" Thief remarked.

"That's amazing!" Julie added. The young ones looked awed.

"W-well they _had_ to be," Strut replied. "Mother died when we were younger than Hop and Skip," Strut said, pointing at the two little ones. "Well, I was. Ozzie was probably their age or a bit younger. He had to be the one to step up and take care of us and keep us alive, so he had to learn really early how to get enough food to survive, and find water and shelter." Strut paused. Wow… he'd never realized, before, how much Ozzie had had to do for their sakes. How fast he'd had to grow up. Could he remember Ozzie ever acting like a child after mummy had died? He realized with a jolt that he couldn't, no matter how hard he thought about it. Even when they played, Ozzie always seemed alert and on guard and not completely into it.

"Hmm… I'd like to meet this brother of yours. When is he coming back?" Thief questioned.

Strut was silent. After a moment he looked sadly down, hanging his head low. "He… isn't coming back…" he finally murmured.

The others gasped, some murmuring. Don turned to Strut, "You mean…" he began.

"We were chased by a pair of tyrannosaurus. Err, sharpteeth," Strut replied. He wasn't sure how many others knew the names of even their own species let alone others. He still didn't know where Ozzie had learned, he probably never wanted to know, but Ozzie had been sure to teach him all sorts of them. We'd tried to steal their egg then get rid of the baby when it hatched. They came and chased us out into the Mysterious Beyond. They had us cornered on a ledge, if they jumped they could snatch us, but there was a log crossing the ravine they were in that would bring us to another higher up ledge… But the ground was jolted loose and while Ozzie was crossing it first to make sure it was safe, it fell and he landed in the ravine. He was trapped, but the sharpteeth couldn't get him. Even when they left, though, I… I wasn't strong enough to free him… He told me he didn't think it would matter even if I could because he wasn't sure he'd be able to move anyway, but I wouldn't abandon him. I brought him water and food. I hoped he would recover and be able to help me get him out finally… He didn't get a chance to… I left to go find food and when I got back, he wasn't there anymore… There was blood on the ground and bones and so…" He trailed off. He couldn't keep going. So he'd believed his brother had been… been devoured…

The others were quiet. "I'm sorry, Strut," Chris finally said. Strut didn't answer, still hanging his head low. "You must have been close." Strut was silent. He wished they'd been closer, but Oz hadn't had time to really get close to him. He'd had time to protect him and keep him alive, but not get close. "He must have been a good brother," she tried again.

"He wasn't," Strut murmured. "At least, he didn't think so. And not like you'd think anyway either. _I_ thought he was a good brother, but it didn't change the fact he was mean most of the time. And hit me a lot when I annoyed him. And always got the first bite of an egg and gave what was left to me."

"Then why did you love him and why are you so sad he's gone?" Sienna questioned, laying down to sleep.

"Because he was my brother," Strut answered, frowning at her.

"There has to have been more than that," she replied.

Strut was quiet. "Because he never left me…" he finally said. "He could have, it would have been easier for him to and more beneficial, but he didn't. He never did. He protected me. He kept me alive. He took care of us even if he was rough… He loved me… At least I think he did. I don't know why he would have done all of that for me if he hadn't. Look, can we not talk about Ozzie right now? It's only just been a week since… I just don't want to talk about him." And he didn't have answers anyway. They were questions he'd never had to ask or reply to before, and he couldn't find the right words to say to get his point across. He lay down and closed his eyes to sleep. Soon enough he'd drifted off.

"Maybe he can travel with _us_ now," Marcus remarked. He turned to Thief. "The kid's tricks for finding food will be beneficial to us, Thief. He can help teach us some of the nuances of the trade."

Thief's gaze hardened slightly as he looked warily back at Strut. He didn't like the idea. Mainly because if Strut got too good, he might end up becoming a threat to the leadership around here. That was something Thief wasn't about to tolerate.

"Let him in, Thief," Deborah said. "It can't hurt."

Oh yes it could, Thief inwardly replied. "Fine," he relented. "Just for a trial, though. If he doesn't work out, he goes. He isn't like us. He may only slow us down."

"Maybe, but his egg hunting tricks will save us from starvation," Rudy said. Thief growled warningly at Rudy. Rudy immediately shut up, cringing, and laid back down. Soon they were all asleep in the cave.

LBT

Strut was dreaming, he knew. He couldn't really explain why he was in a foggy flatland any other way. Surrounded by… were those bones? He looked around uneasily and swallowed. Hesitantly he started moving forward. "Hello?" he called out. There was a sound. Footsteps. "Hello?!" Strut uneasily called again, prepared to run if need be. Suddenly a figure appeared in the mist and he gasped. It looked like one of his kind. He squinted ahead curiously. The other's eyes opened and Strut gasped, fear coming to his expression followed quickly by misery. "O-Ozzie?" he asked, voice breaking and tears threatening his eyes. Ozzie said nothing, just tossed his head in a gesture to follow. He began running. "Ozzie, wait for me!" Strut cried out, racing after his sibling top speed.

Every time he seemed to get near, fog would swirl and Ozzie would be far ahead of him again. He ran faster. Harder. Pushed himself to keep up… Ozzie always drove him to push himself to be better. Better runner, better thinker, better planner, better seeker. Ozzie was forcing him to have to be better again, it seemed, so he pushed harder than before. This time, when the fog swirled, he found himself running beside his sibling. He looked over at Ozzie, tears of longing and disbelief in his eyes. Ozzie didn't spare him a glance. They kept running, running, running, over the land, through the bones, passed mountains next, and fields, and deserts, and oceans, and valleys, and predators until finally Ozzie stopped, as did Strut. They were overlooking a valley. Strut knew this valley. The Valley of the Mists. Their ancient haunt. He hadn't seen the place in years. Time hadn't been kind to it. He looked questioningly at Ozzie. "Ozzie, why are you showing me this?" he asked.

"Because here, dear little brother, is where two worlds meet. Here is where you must go. Here is safety, because the Great Valley will not keep you or them alive and sustained. It is too well guarded; and should you stay in the Mysterious Beyond, it will only mean your death," Ozzie answered, looking at him.

"M-my _death_? B-but why?" Strut questioned.

Ozzie looked back over the view. "Because something big and deadly and inherently dangerous has come where you are. To be caught by him is to die. You have to leave," he answered.

"Maybe I would rather stay," Strut murmured. Rather die, he inwardly corrected. He didn't want to be alone… He didn't want to be without his brother… Ozzie had always been his whole world, all he knew… Without him there was nothing…

Ozzie looked back at the valley. "Here is where we will meet again," he said.

Strut stiffened. "Meet again?" he asked, looking over at him. Of course, this _was_ just a dream. It probably didn't mean anything.

Suddenly the scene changed. Strut gasped and looked around. Then ahead. Anguish filed his eyes. He was back where his brother had died… Ozzie was sleeping. Then he woke up, alerted to something, and gasped. Four raptors appeared in front of him, one dragging a fresh kill in its mouth Strut didn't want to see. This was his brother's death… But he couldn't turn away. "Ozzie!" he screamed as three of the raptors shot forward, leaving the fourth to guard the already killed portion of their meal. Ozzie gave a warning screech, but he knew it would mean nothing. He was defenseless. One fast-biter leapt at him and onto his back. Ozzie started crying out in pain and calling for help as it sank its claws into his body, tearing and ripping at his flesh. The others were moving to join it!

Suddenly there was a flash of grey. Ozzie stopped crying out in pain and looked stunned and afraid. The grey thing drew back. The raptor had been lashed and was now sprawled on the ground. The others were looking on in fear. What did this mean? Any of it? Ozzie was fading again from the scene, looking up and meeting Strut's eyes once more. "Ozzie!" Strut cried out, running towards him as if reaching him would mean that when he woke up, his sibling would be next to him… He wasn't. He never _would_ be. It was Christine shaking him awake.

LBT

"Strut, Strut, wake up!" she insisted, shaking him. Strut's eyes flew open. He was aware he was crying in his sleep. The others were looking at him worriedly. Strut sobbed and sat up with a gasp, willing himself to recover. He looked around at the others of his kind. "You were calling your brother's name and crying," Chris gently and worriedly said. Strut sniffed, bowing his head.

"I was seeing his death," he murmured in response. It _was_ his death, wasn't it?

"Ooh… Ouch," Don said, cringing. "If anything ever happened to Deborah…"

"She's your sister?" Strut asked.

Don smiled. "Yes," he confirmed, looking affectionately at her. She smiled at him.

"Strut, we were thinking. Maybe, if you want, you can come with our group. The skills your brother taught you for searching out food might be really useful to have, and I'm not sure if you have any place in particular you plan to go to, but…" Julie began, drawing her children close to her.

"Actually…" Strut began. Should he say? What if the dream wasn't bogus after all? "The Valley of the Mists… I think, I know, that's where I'm heading. It was… It was where Ozzie and I lived for a long time… It's not the safest place, but there's still lots of food there. And I think it might be safer than staying out in the Mysterious Beyond." At least, if that dream meant anything more than a dream.

"The Valley of the Mists is days away from here," Thief said. "We would more likely die along the way."

"Not really. There's a river not far away from it. I think I can find it. It goes to a waterfall—err, the falling water—and next to the falling water there was a cave, I think. It's been years since we left there. I believe it was a way into the valley. And green food, at least, grows beside the river, not to mention there's all sorts of fish in it," Strut offered.

Thief was quiet a long moment. All the others looked at him, waiting for his answer. Feeling the pressure, Thief grimaced and said, "Fine, we'll try it. But if we haven't gotten somewhere safe in three days, we're changing paths."

"It'll take at least four," Strut protested. "At least with the little ones."

"We're fast!" Hop insisted.

"Yeah, we can handle it," Skip agreed defiantly.

"Can you run as fast as us at top speed?" Strut questioned, frowning at them.

The two blinked and cringed. "No," they admitted together, bowing their heads and looking annoyed that they couldn't.

"Then you can't," Strut victoriously said, sticking out his tongue teasingly at them. They giggled and stuck theirs out right back. Strut looked at the others. "Come on! I'll show you the way. After we get breakfast that is. I'm starving." The others cringed, recalling how starving they themselves were as well.

LBT

The group was amazed at the haul Strut had led them to. A whole nest, freshly orphaned, in a particularly green area not far from a predator's latest abandoned kill. Unfortunately they wouldn't always be this lucky, but for now they would eat to their heart's content. And drink. A small stream was running not far off. The children devoured the vegetation and bits of meat their parents were feeding them. The others devoured the eggs and meat as well, and drank heartily.

"There are a few places like this in the Mysterious Beyond," Strut said, gulping down a bit of the vegetation. Ozzie couldn't slap him for eating the green food now. One of the only pluses to his sibling not being around anymore… Of course remembering that his sibling wasn't going to be around anymore just killed the enjoyment for him in a second. Suddenly the food didn't taste so good. In fact, it tasted bitter in his mouth because in a way it felt like a betrayal to his dead brother. "Ozzie always nosed them out. Every so often we could come back and another nest would be around. Most of the time, though, the parents were still alive so if we wanted to eat Ozzie had to steal. Or we'd go to the next spot and he'd hope there was a fresh kill or a newly orphaned nest there. Or eggs that wouldn't hatch."

"Why didn't you like eggs?" Janine asked.

Strut cringed. "I… just didn't like the idea of stealing them from their parents," he answered.

"It's all part of the circle of life. If eggs have to be eaten to keep us alive, they have to be eaten," Rylie pointed out.

"Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact they're someone else's kids," Strut muttered. "It's just hard for me to eat them because…"

"Because…" Janine pressed.

Strut was quiet. "Because I can hear the little ones inside…" he finally admitted. The other started, looking at him in shock.

"You can hear the babies moving in them?" Chris asked in horror. That had to be horrible! At least they could pretend, when they couldn't hear the movement, that there was nothing growing inside.

"That's why Ozzie always took the eggs and ate part of them before me. Because I just… I don't know. I didn't have the heart to," Strut admitted. "I only resorted to stealing them because my brother needed me to…" Not that it had saved him in the end anyway…

"Hmm. Interesting tale. Now, if everyone has eaten their fill and drank enough water to keep going, we need to get a move on. This valley had better be worth the trouble, Strut," Thief said, rising and shaking himself off.

"I hope so too," Strut answered. "But I haven't been there for years." And if the dream was anything to go by, it was nowhere as nice as it had once been. But at least it was there.

"That's more your problem than ours," Thief said. Strut cringed as Thief moved ahead to join Deborah, Janine, and Julie, Deborah of which nodded and rose to follow him, as did the others.

LBT

Chris and Sienna came up next to Ozzie. "I don't think he likes me very much," Strut said to them.

"He doesn't like many," Chris answered, shrugging. "He's very suspicious and protective."

"He doesn't like a threat, that's what he doesn't like," Sienna said. "He sees you as a challenge to his leadership."

"Me? Why? I've never been a leader in my life," Strut replied.

"Because you're better at finding food than he is, and you know a place where there'll be plenty, which also means you might prove yourself more capable than him," Rudy said, coming up alongside them with the two babies.

"We want to travel with Strut, papa!" Hop said.

"Yeah! Uncle Strut plays games with us," Skip agreed.

"Probably because 'Uncle' Strut isn't even fully grown himself," Marcus said to the children. "You're still an sub-adult, aren't you boy?"

"Well, yes, I mean, I'm almost not!" Strut replied.

"Keep telling yourself that, kid," Don teased Strut, playfully smacking him with his tail. Strut 'oomphed' and frowned at Don coldly before his look became submissive and resigned again. It was rare when the cold side of him slipped through. Really the only one who had ever seen just how dangerous he could look and be was Ozzie, and even then only when Ozzie was bullying him particularly cruelly. It was enough to alert Ozzie, though, that if he pushed too far, things would get ugly very quickly. Ozzie knew Strut would only be the butt monkey for so long before he'd lash out...

LBT

 _"_ _Something the matter, Ozzie?" Strut questioned, noticing his brother suspiciously watching him from a rock while Strut was eating a shellfish._

 _"_ _I can't help but fear you're only biding your time," Ozzie replied._

 _"_ _Biding my time? For what?" Strut questioned._

 _"_ _For the moment you will have the chance to strike out against me and put an end to my cruelty once and for all," Ozzie answered. "I've seen the way you look at me, brother. Don't think me blind."_

 _Strut blinked blankly, turned back to the shellfish, then smirked. "When did you decide I hid more than I let through?" he asked._

 _"_ _Around the time you got into middle adolescence," Ozzie answered. "And started muttering behind my back and looking at me with those 'one of these days' sorts of looks. It makes me nervous."_

 _Strut turned to him again. "Well I should hope so. After all, I learned them from you, Ozzie. You always tell me to try and look more intimidating when we're facing off against things that are challenging us, and you_ _ **always**_ _look intimidating so I thought that maybe if I could copy your look, I could put enemies on edge like you do! I'm afraid I'm not really good at it yet, at least not always in a real threatening situation—I can't keep it up for long then—but at least I can do it well enough that it makes_ _ **you**_ _nervous," Strut said._

 _"_ _You can be as devious as me sometimes, you know. It's aggravating. Leave the deviousness to me," Ozzie warned._

 _"_ _You shouldn't be so worried, Ozzie. It's not like I'd hurt you, not ever!" Strut insisted._

 _"_ _Forgive my skepticism given how often you end up on the wrong side of my tail or foot. Or words, for that matter," Ozzie replied._

 _"_ _Even if I_ _ **was**_ _plotting I couldn't now. You know about it each time I look at you like that, so it wouldn't exactly be unexpected, would it?" Strut said._

 _Ozzie smirked dryly. "You are my brother straight through," he said, shaking his head. "More so than even_ _ **I**_ _would like to admit."_

 _"_ _Hey!" Strut protested to the insult, frowning. Ozzie chuckled and curled up to sleep on the rock in the sun. Strut stuck out his tongue and went back to eating before curling up to nap again with a yawn._


	4. Slowly Earning a Place

Slowly Earning a Place

(A/N: Not to happy with this chapter, but hopefully my readers like it. Enjoy.)

Strut raced ahead with the children, laughing and playing with them. They were thrilled to have someone play with them. Their parents were always too busy trying to keep them alive, and themselves. There wasn't much time for play in the pack. Thief always had them all on their guard. The two children couldn't remember the last time they'd had anyone other than each other to play with. They laughed, leaping on Strut and knocking him down. Strut laughed, squirming under them as they tickled him.

Panting, the three stopped and laid down to wait for the others whom they'd left far behind, though not far enough that they couldn't be seen. "Uncle Strut, did you and your brother play lots like this?" Skip asked.

"Not really. Ozzie wasn't very big on play. But sometimes, when we had nothing to do, we did. It was always chasing each other or tickling. A lot like this," Strut answered. "But Ozzie was never totally into it. I never knew why but now I guess he was watching out for predators that might attack us."

"Like what you're doing?" Hop asked.

"I am?" Strut questioned, looking at them in surprise.

"Yes. You're looking around everywhere for predators, and seeing how far away the others are," Hop said.

"Well, I guess I am," Strut replied, lighting up. Wow, he felt proud and responsible. He'd never had to before. Ozzie always looked out for them so Strut could do whatever he felt like without worrying about being taken off guard. Ozzie was always there to do that… Hmm, looking back he felt kind of bad now. Ozzie could have used the help, probably, but he'd never been able to focus long and Ozzie couldn't always take the time to stop and lecture him to pay attention, or fight with him to help out. In the Mysterious Beyond, even a moment of inattention could mean death. All his kind really had going for them in defense was their speed. They were the fastest sorts of dinosaurs on Earth. They also had abnormally long claws, and really powerful legs and strong tails, but that didn't always cut it. Speed was their key. Strut listened hard. He heard water rushing in the distance. They weren't far from the river now. Which meant it was time to be more alert again. Lots of dinosaurs, predator and prey both, would gather around that river.

LBT

"How much older than you was your brother?" Skip questioned.

Strut cringed and bowed his head. "Not a lot, but enough to make a difference," he answered. Ozzie had been hatched about a year or two earlier than him, maybe. Ozzie had been the only egg that year. Times were hard and it was a miracle their mother had had one at all, let alone one that was viable. Their mother hadn't had another clutch until his own. There had been about five there, but he'd been the only one that made it. One egg had been stolen. Their parents had found it smashed and eaten two days later. Another had been stepped on and shattered. A third had died and wasn't viable anymore, so their parents had had to eat it because there was no food anywhere else. He and the other had actually hatched, but the other had died shortly after. It had been too weak to survive, and because their parents were away from the nest, it had been taken by a small predator. He was almost too weak too. He didn't remember how he'd survived, but Ozzie did. Ozzie had told him how, when he'd asked about his birth.

Ozzie said that after the other baby was taken, him and mummy and daddy had come back just in time to see the predator trying to take him away too. Mom and dad had leapt into action, chasing the predator away in grief and leaving Ozzie behind with the baby. Ozzie said that mom and dad hadn't expected him to still be alive when they got back, because Strut had been very weak and hurt, and it hadn't looked good. Ozzie said that he had nearly died many times, but Ozzie had kept nudging him and forcing him to try and struggle away or fight or stay awake. Ozzie remembered Strut's little roars too, when he'd tried to scare him away fearfully. Ozzie had just kept on nudging and nudging and nudging until Strut had gotten to his feet. He had fallen right after, but Ozzie had kept nudging him persistently and had given him some food and water, which Strut had hardly been able to eat. By the time mother and father had come back, little Strut was sitting up and roaring and squeaking and nickering back and forth with his brother as they sniffed at each other. That marked the first time Ozzie had saved his life… Also the last time for a long time after.

A few months later another batch of eggs had been born, and it looked good because things were picking up. Unfortunately, the storm hit then. The storm that took papa away, and all their unhatched siblings. They were trying to run, taking the eggs with them. The mountainside was falling. Including the ridge their nest had been on. They were almost there, but papa hadn't made it. The ledge had crumbled under his feet, sending him toppling to his death in the raging water, all the eggs going with him and breaking on the way down or sinking beneath the river. Mother had been grief stricken. She tried to save the eggs that might have still been saved, but the ledge broke before she could and those ones fell too. She'd only been able to get Ozzie and him to safety. When the storm passed and she went down to see if any of the eggs that had fallen in the water were still okay… All that could be found were broken shells and the couple that were intact weren't viable anymore. Mother had been devastated all over again… After that, nothing made her better. She tried to be strong for her little ones, but keeping them alive had meant neglecting herself, and that had been her biggest mistake. That had been what had killed her. She'd let herself get too weak. She wouldn't eat until her babies were full. She always did that, and when a sickness came they had been strong enough to resist it. Mother hadn't…

Ozzie hadn't made that mistake, Strut remembered. Ozzie had been sure to keep himself fed and up to snuff first and foremost so that he could actually be useful in keeping Strut alive too. Sometimes, if things were really bad, he'd let that rule slip, but never like mother had done. Ozzie knew, from watching mother, that to protect the little ones, you had to be able to protect yourself, not get weakened or sick, because then they'd have no one to take care of them. If _they_ had been ill, she could have protected and nursed them. But they hadn't gotten ill, she had, and they hadn't known how to help her at all so she died. And Ozzie had left.

For the longest time Strut didn't understand Ozzie's true reasoning back then, but as he'd grown he'd realized all that had nearly befallen him. His brother had abandoned him. When Ozzie had come back it was with the thought of throwing him off of a cliff and eating him, but he hadn't had the stomach for that even if it _did_ mean survival for himself in the end. Ozzie almost left him again when it seemed Strut wouldn't fight, just like when he'd first hatched, and this time Ozzie hadn't intended to keep nudging him, so to speak, to keep him alive. In the end, though, he had. Ozzie had never really told him the reason why. Only that he'd known Strut needed help, but it was apparent he'd known as much for a long time and had left even when he knew it, so Strut was left to wonder, now, why Ozzie had kept coming back. He felt that it had something to do with not wanting to be alone… Much like what he was now… And maybe there had been love on Ozzie's part too? He didn't know. Ozzie seemed not to love anyone but at the same time did.

LBT

"You really miss him, huh?" Hop asked, snapping Strut out of his memories.

Strut blinked at them and felt a threatening burning in his eyes. He shut them tight, whimpering slightly. He didn't dare try to talk right now. He just nodded his head. Suddenly he heard something and gasped, looking up and standing straight, scanning the area.

"What is it, Uncle Strut?" Skip questioned.

"I-I'm not sure. I thought I heard something," Strut answered. He sniffed the air and stiffened. Whatever it was, it was close enough for him to smell. Which was bad. Worse because it smelled like trouble. "Um, kids, you, um, might want to run back to the pack," he said, uneasily shifting and nuzzling the two little ones ahead of him. "Like now." Uneasily the children began to run towards the others—who by now looked guarded as well—with Strut following.

Suddenly there was a roar and a pachycephalosaurus, err the head-butting ones, leapt down in front of them with a roar! The children screamed in terror, as did Strut. "Mama!" the little ones screamed.

"Hop, Skip!" Julie shrieked, charging ahead with Rudy hot on her tail.

"Run for it kids!" Strut insisted, lunging at the pachycephalosaurus and tackling it. They were probably on its territory now, which meant it was willing to drive them off. Violently. The bone-headed dinosaur tumbled and Strut leapt back. "N-now look, we-we're only trying to get to the river," Strut stammered uneasily. "We don't want any trouble." Another leapt onto the scene with a roar. Which meant they were probably mates and were probably guarding a nest. So much for being peaceful. The pachycephalosaurus knew full well what _they_ were. "We're not interested in your eggs!" Strut tried in vain to insist. They both lunged at him, one head butting him down. He cried out in pain.

"Strut!" he heard Christine call in alarm. He gasped, looking up. The others in the pack were racing to help, Rudy and Julie staying back to make sure Hop and Skip were okay. Strut got up and began uneasily backing away from the two dome-heads. They lunged again. He cried out in fear and leapt over them both, racing back towards the pack. Safety in numbers, right?

"What are you doing? Don't lead them here!" Thief angrily called out. Strut slid to a stop in confusion. Then what was he _supposed_ to do?! He cried out in pain as they tackled him from behind, sending him to the ground. He cried out in pain and rolled over, scratching at them with the claws on his hands and feet desperately. And striking with his tail if he could. One leapt up, intending to stomp down on his head or on some other vulnerable part. Strut screamed in fear. Suddenly Janine was there with Don, tackling it away and screeching at it, forcing it to back away.

The other dome-head growled darkly then lunged at them from behind. Strut gasped, fearful for his new pack. Thief and Marcus leapt forward, landing on it and screeching, clawing at it. It shook them both off and backed away, as did the other. The two dome-heads joined up again, retreating from the screeching pack of Struthiomimus. Finally roaring once more, they turned and fled, probably running back to their nest.

LBT

The pack joined up, each one asking the others if they were okay. Strut stayed back, feeling out of place. He got the bad feeling he was going to be in trouble. When the concern bit was done, they turned to him. "You. This is your fault!" Thief shot sharply at Strut. Strut winced and looked away.

"I didn't mean to," he meekly defended. "I mean I didn't know…"

"That's no excuse! You should have smelled or heard them coming from a long ways away!" Thief snapped.

"Thief, please, he didn't know any better," Deborah soothed gently. "He's only a subadult."

"That could have gotten us killed if those had been anything more than dome-heads!" Thief shot. Strut cringed, bowing his head. Thief was right…

"How did your brother put up with you?" Marcus bit. Strut cringed again, sinking lower to the ground. Honestly _he_ didn't even know how Ozzie had managed.

"I'm sorry…" he said.

"Marcus, enough," Riley bit.

"Right. Leave him alone. Live and learn, after all," Janine agreed.

"Not here in this place," Thief said.

"If that's your policy, Thief, then perhaps my family and I are better off on our own," Rudy bit. "Children and adolescents and subadults, and even adults—cough, cough you—make mistakes! You can't go turning on them every time they do! Why it will be a marvel if my children survive to _be_ adolescents if you start going off like this every time they make a mistake!"

"Just because you feel threatened by the kid doesn't give you any right to lash out at him!" Julie agreed sharply. "Or you, Marcus, or any of you!"

"He's one of us now, Thief. Deal with it," Sienna agreed, glaring coldly at their leader.

"Thief makes a point," Don defended. "Things like this can't keep happening. We're on precarious ground right now. Mistakes can only be forgiven within reason. Thief's being too harsh right now, maybe, but he can't forgive every error made in future."

"True as that is, he's still out of line," Deborah said, glaring at Thief warningly. Thief scowled but then relented with a sigh.

"Fine. My apologies, Strut. I lost myself," Thief said.

"It-it's okay," Strut stammered. It was nice to have someone sticking up for him for once. Or many someone's, rather. He gave them all a weak and apologetic smile. Hop and Skip quickly joined him.

"Are you okay, Uncle Strut?" Hop asked.

"Perfectly okay. Plus I hear the river not far off! All we have to do then is follow it until I find the cave that leads to the Valley of the Mists," Strut said, daring to straighten up a bit.

"Then lead on, Strut," Chris said, playfully bumping him and smiling proudly at him. "You did good, protecting the kids and distracting the hard-heads."

"You really think so, Chris? Thanks!" Strut said, brightening up a bit. "Okay everyone, follow me!" Immediately he raced off feeling a bit better and happier. The others followed.

LBT

They wandered down the river, the children every so often playing around in the shallows under the watchful eyes of their parents. Strut was silent and looking around, troubled. "I hear something," he finally said, pausing. Thief looked suspiciously at him then ahead, smelling the air.

"Hmm… I smell it… It smells like a predator," Thief said.

"We can't pass predators without being attacked," Janine worriedly said.

"If they're eating we can," Riley pointed out.

"Only I don't smell blood. There's no kill. They're searching," Sienna said seriously. "And if it's a pack of fast-biters, we're done for."

"We need to either find a way around or one of us has to distract them," Don said.

"I'll distract them," Strut offered. He wanted to make up for last time.

"No way. It's too dangerous, son," Rudy said, shaking his head negatively at Strut.

"I can do it!" Strut insisted. "I've run away from plenty in my life."

"Well you don't have to this time," Sienna said. "The water just up ahead seems shallow enough to wade through. Hop and Skip will have to be carried, but we can make it."

"But for all we know, the fast-biters could be just around that same bend," Christine pointed out worriedly.

"I'll check it out," Strut said.

"Hold up, kid. I'll go with you," Thief said. The two darted ahead, the rest following at a slower pace.

LBT

Peering around the corner, the two gasped. The fast-biters weren't even twenty feet away! Thief turned, beckoning for his pack to follow. Quickly they did so. He put a finger to his lips, shushing them, then pointed for them to cross. "Go with them," he ordered Strut.

Strut nodded and quickly returned as Thief kept watch. The females and the little ones went across first. "You next, boy. Youngest to oldest from here on," Rudy said.

"That means you and Thief cross last," Marcus replied.

"You may be the oldest ones, but we're more capable of fighting if those fast-biters show up," Don agreed.

"Like heck you are," Rudy replied, frowning at them.

"If we stand here arguing, none of us are going to make it," Thief said, racing back. "The fast-biters are coming!"

Immediately they gasped. Quickly Strut, Don, and Marcus scrambled into the river, hurrying quickly through it. It was a good thing those rocks over there were keeping the river at a relatively slow flow, and keeping it shallow, Strut noticed. Up ahead, you see, there was something of a blockage of the river. Not the most stable blockage, but a blockage nonetheless.

They were across quickly. Rudy was heading over with Thief. Suddenly the Fast-Biters were there. The others screamed. Strut gasped, speeding up with Don and Marcus, quickly crossing over. They looked back in horror. "Rudy!" Julie cried out.

"Papa!" the little ones screamed. The fast-biters were going after Rudy and Thief!

Strut gasped and looked ahead at the blockage. "Tell them to get across and not to stop to fight them!" Strut exclaimed. He doubted they'd be much better swimmers than the fast-biters. He raced towards the rocks. The others didn't question, just started shouting for Rudy and Thief to run. The two looked ahead and did so, the raptors quickly crossing after them. But Rudy and Thief were faster, so they were pulling ahead.

Strut reached the blockage and immediately began shoving a stabilizing rock. Julie, Skip, Hop, and Chris ran up to help. The rock tumbled and the blockage broke. Water roared, charging down the river. They turned with gasps, hoping Rudy and Thief were out. They were just coming onto the bank, Thief taking up the back, when the river rushed in. The raptors turned sharply and their eyes widened in terror. They screeched and roared in horror as the wall of water swept them off their feet and downstream!

LBT

The others cheered. Julie and her children raced down to embrace Rudy. Strut leapt off of the rocks and landed beside Chris. They grinned excitedly at each other and started back as well. The others, seeing them, raced ahead to congratulate Strut on his spur-of-the-moment plan. Thief blinked blankly and his eyes narrowed dangerously. He harrumphed, folding his arms and not moving.

Strut smiled excitedly at the others as they all thanked and congratulated him. "Well done, son," Rudy said, playfully rubbing Strut's head. Strut grinned and looked back towards Thief. His smile fell to one of uncertainty. Thief was glowering darkly at him. Strut cringed and bowed his head. He went back to smiling, pretending he didn't notice Thief's displeasure. He glanced back only once. It was a good thing he did. Two of the raptor pack were crawling out of the water!

Strut gasped. "Thief!" he exclaimed, darting forward in alarm. Thief started and turned. He gasped as the raptors leapt on him with furious roars. Thief desperately fought to get them off, screeching in pain and anger, trying to fight back. The raptors went for his throat! Thief moved slightly, just in time for it to bite his shoulder instead. He screamed in pain. Strut was suddenly there, leaping on one of the raptors and knocking it back. He tail whipped the other off of Thief then leapt back again, next to the older struthiomimus who was staggering up. Thief was panting, in pain, and bleeding badly. Strut worriedly looked at him. "Get back to the pack!" Strut exclaimed.

Thief looked at him in shock. Strut ran at the raptors again, tail whipping one and scratching another. This was a losing fight, he knew that effective immediately. The raptor he'd tail whipped leapt up, pouncing on his back. He cried out in pain as it pulled him down. Strut rolled quickly into the water and dug his claws into the bank as he went under. The raptor was swept off of him and downstream. It made it to the bank again, but this time it was too exhausted to bother pursuing a second time. Strut, panting, pulled himself back onto the bank only for the second raptor to bite at his face! He cried out in far. Thief was suddenly there, tackling it away. It fell over and Thief pulled Strut up. Quickly the two retreated to the pack. The two raptors glared at them and roared. The pack screeched back, challenging the fast-biters to come at them. They advanced dangerously. The raptors began backing away. They roared again then turned tail and ran.

LBT

The pack was immediately cheering again and animatedly talking. Strut was wide-eyed with excitement. "We did it? We did it!" Strut cheered. "I feel kind of bad for them. They were only trying to eat. But oh well, we did it! We…" He gasped in horror as he turned and came face-to-face with the glaring Thief. Everything went quiet. "Um, thank you. For saving me?" Strut lamely said.

"Get this very clear. I may owe you my thanks, outcast, but I owe you nothing more," Thief answered. Strut bowed his head sadly. Thief roughly walked passed him, shoving him slightly. "Let's get moving." The others gave apologetic looks to Strut and followed. Strut didn't move for a moment. Finally, though, he went after them dejectedly.

"Thief, what was that about? He risked his _life_ to save you," Deborah chastised.

"We wouldn't have needed saving if we hadn't decided to follow him," Thief scoffed.

"He had promises of a better life, Thief. What did you have?" Janine demanded.

Thief tensed up. Janine bit her tongue, cursing herself. She got the feeling she'd only made this worse. Thief shot her a dangerous glare. "If he's so much better, go follow him."

"I didn't mean it like that," Janine murmured.

"Thief, there is no better leader for us than you. We've been loyal to you for many cold times now. That isn't going to change because of this kid," Don promised. "Have a little faith in us, my friend. Like we've had faith in you… And cut the boy a break. He's only trying to fit in."

Thief paused and looked back at Strut with something of a guilty look in his eyes. Maybe… Maybe they were right… He sighed then paused, tossing his head to gesture for them to keep going. They did so. Strut slowed down, seeing Thief waiting for him. Timidly he approached. "You have your uses, kid," Thief said. "Thank you. For saving my life… I think your brother taught you well. He'd… he'd be proud…"

Strut's eyes widened in hope and pain. "I wish I'd listened to him better," Strut admitted. "I never really paid attention to him a lot of the time."

"Whatever attention you paid was enough, it seems," Thief said. "I'm… sorry if I'm coming off as rough, but the safety of my pack is my top priority, and to be honest, sharing leadership isn't something I'm willing to do."

"Then don't think of me as a leader, think of me as a guide," Strut said. "I couldn't be a leader anyway. I'm no good at it."

"You've done pretty well so far," Thief answered, smiling at him. Strut blinked then lit up proudly. Thief chuckled and hurried to get to the front of the group again. Strut followed proudly. Oh he wished Ozzie could see him now. His smile fell. But Ozzie never would again, he realized… He bowed his head low.


	5. Reunited

Reunited!

(A/N: Despite how this chapter ends, don't think that angst has ended yet. There are still some lessons to be learned. This story is shorter than a lot of other ones I've written, but it's meant to be. It was a plot that wouldn't leave me alone and I just had to write it. I loved Ozzie and Strut, and couldn't find much for good stories on them that had actually been completed, so I this was born. Hope you're enjoying it, and that you'll continue to.)

A dream again. His brother was standing there, in the mouth of the cavern he and the others were resting in. His brother was looking towards something. "O-Ozzie?" Strut asked, eyes widening in longing. He rose and went towards him. Ozzie didn't turn. Strut came up next to him, looking over. His brother wouldn't face him. Strut sniffed, bowing his head. "I miss you Oz… So much…" he murmured meekly.

"You have been better off without me than you ever were with me," Ozzie answered. "You have found ones who appreciate you like you deserve. Ones who make you feel happy and secure… It's time you let me go, Strut. They are your family now. They will be better for you than I could have ever hoped to be."

"Don't say that!" Strut pled. "They won't be better for me than you were, no one will ever be! You're… you're my brother…"

"I was never so much a brother as a figure you could cling to for protection when no one else was around… But you don't need me anymore, Strut," Ozzie said.

"Yes I do! I still need you and I still want you and I still miss you!" Strut insisted, stomping his foot. "You-you said we'd meet again."

"And we have. Here and now," Ozzie answered. He looked upwards again. This time Strut followed his gaze. "There it is, little brother. The Land of the Mist… Make your home there. Be happy again. You have done it. You have made it and led them to safety. Rejoice in your fortune."

"I'll never be happy again," Strut sadly said. "Not when you're gone and I'm alone…"

"You're not alone anymore, you simpleton. Take a look behind you," Ozzie ordered. Strut turned and saw the others.

"I'm not alone…" Strut murmured. "But none of them are you," he added, turning back. But Ozzie was gone. Strut, tears in his eyes, sank to the ground and wept silently.

LBT

He woke up silently weeping. At least it wasn't loud enough to wake the others this time. He sniffed, standing up, and walked to the mouth of the cave as if doing so would mean he could see his brother again. "Ozzie, how could you think I don't need you?" Strut asked out loud. And even if he didn't, he certainly still wanted him. He waited there until sunrise when the others began to wake up. He turned to them. "We're almost there," he said. They looked curiously at him and approached. Looking out over the view they gasped. There up ahead was the falling water, an ever present rainbow stretched over it. Just beside it was the entrance to the cave!

"You did it, kid," Thief said, smirking in amusement and shaking his head. "Honestly didn't think you would." Strut grinned and immediately ran towards it. The others followed him.

They pushed through the cave silently, avoiding the deep water. Who knew what lurked in it? They saw questionable figures in the dark, one of which looked like a log with two red bugs—cough, cough, eyes—in it, and stayed far away. Soon enough they got through and came to the exit. Walking out onto the ledge outside, their mouths dropped in awe and amazement. The valley was huge! And _beautiful_! Misty but beautiful. "Whoa…" Christine said.

"We've made it!" Julie cheered excitedly.

"It isn't completely safe," Strut warned cautiously. "It's been years since I've been here. Time hasn't been kind to it. Who knows what's moved in there in the meantime?"

"It's a risk we can take," Janine said, hugging Don. "We can finally start that family we were talking about," she said to him, beaming at the male. Don grinned at her.

"And we can start planning for one," Riley flirted with Marcus. Marcus blushed and grinned at her widely.

"Now will you agree to mate with me?" Deborah asked Thief.

"Not until I know it's safe enough that I won't lose you," Thief answered, neatly avoiding the question, though his faint flush gave away what his answer would have been otherwise. Namely yes.

"If you lose me you'll lose me, mated or not," Deborah replied with a sigh. "We might as well have what we can." Thief gave her a conflicted look and turned away.

"Less chance of you dying a mother if we hold off," he said.

"Is that what scares you?" she asked. Thief was quiet. Deborah sighed, giving it up for now. She could wait a bit longer.

Strut led the way downwards. The others followed him cautiously. Well, the adults did. The children, giggling in excitement, were racing ahead as far as they dared without the adults and subadults near.

"We have a new home!" the little ones squealed in delight as they reached the valley...

 _One Month Since Arrival_

They had settled well so far. There was food in abundance and many unguarded or orphaned nests. They had never had so much food for so long! "You did good, kid. What made you want to come here?" Rudy asked Strut.

"A dream," Strut admitted. "A dream that said the Great Valley wouldn't sustain us because it was too well guarded, and that the Mysterious Beyond would mean death because something big and inherently dangerous had come into it and driven fear into everything that walked there, and wouldn't hesitate to rip us to shreds."

"Yet you say this place is dangerous too," Rudy pointed out.

"I'm not sure about you, but I'd rather have something of a chance than no chance," Strut replied, cringing. "Pain and I aren't friends."

"Whatever the case of it, we're here now and we're safe. If not forever, then for long enough. This place is huge. If one spot becomes dangerous, we can move to another," Rudy said.

"Right," Strut agreed, smiling at him.

"Tell me about your family," Rudy said.

"There isn't a lot to tell. Dad died when we were tiny, so did all our unhatched siblings. Mom got sick not long after and died. It was me and my brother ever since," Strut said. He grew silent. "And then Ozzie died too…" he finished.

"I'm sorry about that, kid," Rudy gently said. Strut shrugged meekly. He didn't want to talk about it. "For what it's worth, my kids are starting to see you as a big brother to them. And to be honest, Julie and I have no problem with it. We're fond of you enough. Look around, Strut. You have a family again."

Strut did so. "Yeah… yeah, you're right…" Strut said, smiling. His smile fell. "But none of them are Ozzie…"

"No one will ever be," Rudy agreed. "But at least they're something." Strut looked up at him and nodded gratefully, giving a weak smile.

 _Six Months Since Arrival_

For a time all was well in the Valley of the Mists. But danger was no stranger there, as they had learned quickly the day Marcus had almost been snatched from the bank by something that looked like a log with legs. Fortunately, Don had pulled him up and away in time. The children were watched extra carefully down by the water from that time on. There was always something to be cautious about, but for the most part it was safe there. At least, safer than anywhere _else_ they'd ever been. And it was beautiful too. Strut thought it was prettier than even the Great Valley, not to mention bigger. Not as protected, but still.

Others had moved in too, though. Strut, sneaking around the area with Chris, was cautiously and uneasily watching a group of dome-heads. He put a finger to his lips and silently slipped away with her. "Wow they were close," Strut said uneasily.

"Hopefully they'll be okay with sharing space," Chris agreed, nodding.

"What did you two find?" Sienna questioned, coming through some bushes.

"Boneheads," Chris answered, using her personal nickname for them. It had become an inside joke to all of them over time. "A group of them. Not a big group, but big enough. Two young males there looked pretty antsy and ready to butt heads. Literally. They might end up being an invasion of our space. We may have to move areas soon.

"Don't worry. Thief's been sending out scouting pairs to find other possibly suitable areas for us," Sienna said. "Just in case something like this _did_ happen. They found a very nice one, safer than where we are now and more sheltered. Less worry about the water too. It's still in that place, and not too deep."

"Good. At least we have a backup," Chris said, nodding.

"Are Hop and Skip doing alright?" Strut questioned.

"They're fine," Sienna assured, looking back. Hope and Skip leapt through the bushes looking excited and tired. "It's about time we brought them back too. They couldn't go any farther if their lives depended on it."

"That's a grim thought," Chris uneasily said, grimacing.

"Grim but true," Sienna answered. Chris and Strut exchanged hopeless looks.

"Well _she's_ pragmatic," Strut said.

"Very," Chris agreed, nodding. They followed Sienna and the babies back.

 _Seven Months Since Arrival_

The pack was eating when it happened. Bellows echoed. The sounds of the domeheads! They gasped. The whole herd suddenly ran onto the scene, roaring and bellowing! "Move!" Thief ordered, leaping up with the others. The pack scattered. Not that they had much choice. The domeheads attacked without warning, going after all of them viciously. It seemed they were done sharing this territory. "Regroup, regroup!" Thief frantically called, searching for Deborah fearfully.

"Hop, Skip!" Rudy shouted.

"Children, where are you?!" Julie screamed, searching for her little ones.

"Mommy, daddy!" the little ones were screaming, but they couldn't find them!

"Thief!" Deborah screamed. Thief looked sharply over. A domehead had her and Don cornered! Don stood protectively in front of her, screeching menacingly at the domeheads. Thief immediately darted towards them, soon joined by Marcus, Janine, and Riley all. The four leapt at the domehead, driving it off and regrouping.

"Get to the others!" Thief called out.

"Sienna, Chris?!" Riley called.

"Over there, with Strut!" Marcus pointed. "We have to get to Rudy and Julie first! And find those children!"

Immediately the pack raced towards the frantically searching parents. "Julie, Rudy, run!" Thief ordered. Immediately the two joined up with the rest, circling around to rejoin with Strut, Sienna, Chris, and to their relief Hop and Skip. The pack was suddenly together again, and in a panic they fled from the group of domeheads. Two in particular, two males—the ones who liked butting heads—kept up the chase, even when the others had fallen back. The pack of panicked Struthiomimus kept running.

Strut looked back and gasped. They were nearing. "They're still coming!" he cried out. He heard a scream. Wait. That scream. It couldn't be. It sounded like those flattooth kids! Impossible! What would they even be doing here? Not that he had time to think on it. Suddenly, in their panic, the Struthiomimus were jumping off of a cliff and into the river! Strut didn't think. He just leapt. Right after recalling that his kind weren't exactly swimmers, and that the two children definitely weren't.

LBT

Screaming, sobbing, the group resurfaced, or struggled to. Not that they would stay afloat long if they couldn't get to shore. They were all going to drown! And where were Hop and Skip?! For a moment Strut saw a vision of his brother, running alongside the river. He realized in dread what it may mean. Was he going to die? Suddenly a very sharp toothed creature's long neck burst through the water with a roar. Strut paled, gasping. A Plesiosaurus! The pack screamed in horror, convinced this was the end. The disturbingly large carnivore dove, coming straight at them. Strut reached out, seizing a rock and scrambling onto it. He slashed at the creature as it was passing. The others forgotten—thank goodness for that, they were getting out of the river now too, having reached someplace where they could touch bottom—the predator turned to the one who had slashed it, roaring. Strut screeched menacingly at it, slashing again and making a growl in his throat. Again the vision of his brother. Again it faded into the woods.

The plesiosaurus shook its head and fixed its gaze on Strut murderously. Strut's eyes widened in fear. Time to go! He screamed and leapt into the water again as it lunged to bite and got a mouthful of rock. Which, might he add, sounded painful, judging by the way the creature shrieked. Strut resurfaced and heard the others calling for him. He tried to move towards them. They were holding a branch out for him. He couldn't reach and was swept passed. "Strut!" Christine screamed, reaching out for him in vain. Again he saw a vision of his brother racing alongside the river. The plesiosaurus dove down and lunged. Strut only barely managed to move out of the way. Apparently not far enough, though, as it got its jaws around his side. Strut screamed in pain as it pulled him under. "No!" Christine screamed.

"My babies! Where are my babies?!" Julie freaked suddenly, almost going to dive into the water. "Hop, Skip!" she shrieked as the others held her back. She burst into tears, fearing the worst.

Strut, meanwhile, slashed the plesiosaurus once more, this time near the eyes, making it let go. But he was bleeding badly and unable to surface again. Not that he needed to worry, it seemed, because suddenly the plesiosaurus seemed fearful and turned, swimming back the way it came. Strut, wavering between consciousness and unconsciousness, vaguely picked out a dull roar and looked that way. His eyes widened. A waterfall! Err, falling water for most of the others who didn't know what it was called. The next moment the river dropped from under him and he cried out in fear and terror, reaching vainly for the sky. As he hit the water beneath, he saw once more a vision of his brother, standing on the banks and watching. Then there was black...

LBT

Strut couldn't fathom how he was still alive. He knew he was still alive because if he was dead, his body wouldn't hurt this much. He was dragging himself onto a bank goodness only knew how far downstream from the others. He was bleeding badly and completely drained. He wanted to lay down. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to never wake up again. Maybe, if he was lucky, he never would, and he would see mother and father again, and maybe his unhatched siblings, and Hop and Skip if they were gone though he hoped they weren't, and Ozzie too… He wanted to see Ozzie again… He didn't want any more tormenting dreams or visions, he wanted the real thing. He wanted his brother back…

He couldn't hear them calling him anymore… Which meant they'd moved on and thought he was dead, or that he'd been pulled farther away than he'd first thought, but he was too tired to think on that now. He was too tired to fight anymore. He was through fighting. He just wanted it all to end. He just wanted quiet and peace and to not hurt anymore. It wasn't as if he'd last long injured like this anyway… He would follow his brother once more… He would die alone and be rejoined with Oz in death. He heard footsteps. A predator. About time they came. They should have come when he'd been waiting for them where Ozzie had fallen… The footsteps paused in front of him. He lay still, eyes shut, and waited for the end to come.

"Strut? Strut, get up!" a voice sharply shot. Oz's voice. A dream again. He wished the predator had killed him before this dream came.

"Ozzie, I don't want to. Don't make me get up, please. Not this time. I tried. I tried so hard, but I can't. I can't! I just… I want to be with you and mummy again…" Strut whimpered. "I just want to be with you and mum. Please, Ozzie, let me be with you again."

There was silence. Had even the dream abandoned him now? "You and I both have a long ways to go yet, before we join mother and father in death," Ozzie's voice said again. Strut frowned, eyes closed? What? _This_ dream was different, he noted. In a good way. Maybe it meant he was going to be with Ozzie again.

"You said we would meet again here. You were right, Ozzie… I'll be there soon…" Strut murmured, feeling consciousness slipping away.

"I said get up, you dirt-devouring weakling!" Ozzie sharply shot. Strut yelped as a tail clubbed down on his head, leaping up in stunned shock. He shook his head. Wow that felt real. Wait… His eyes widened and he gasped, looking ahead, expression shocked. That was because it _was_! "I am through catering to your refusal to fight spiel! You _will_ recover and you _will_ do it well, whether you want to or not! No brother of mine is giving up so easily. Not while I'm around and _certainly_ not even after I'm gone!"

LBT

Ozzie hardly had time to stop talking before he was tackled down to the ground and being squeezed so tightly he couldn't even breathe! He blinked then began choking. "Strut, Strut you imbecile, get off of me!" Ozzie demanded, wriggling, struggling, and shoving his sibling off, gasping for air. "What in the world…?" he began.

"You're alive!" Strut all but screamed, tackling his brother in a bear hug again, cutting off his air a second time. Ozzie began choking again before he managed to free his neck enough to breathe relatively well once more. He noticed, then, that his sibling was sobbing so hard that Strut was having as much trouble breathing as he had had with Strut's arms wrapped around his neck.

"By some unfortunate miracle," Ozzie grunted through breaths, relenting and holding his sibling tightly back, resting his head on the other's. "Yes, I'm alive, Strut."

"Wh-why? H-how? Wh-where?!" Strut wailed, looking at his brother in misery, finally drawing back and looking at his sibling. Nope. He wasn't drawing back for long. He burst into more tears, hugging his brother back again tightly, shaking in the other's embrace.

Ozzie was quiet. "It's a long story," he answered finally.

Flashback

Ozzie watched Strut wander away, sadness in his eyes. He hated being helpless and watching his sibling care for him. It wasn't the way things were supposed to be, blast it! He growled in annoyance and lay down his head to try to sleep. He felt so useless… Every time Strut wandered out of his sight, he feared his brother wouldn't come back. If Strut didn't return, it meant he had been killed, which meant his brother had died for someone who was dead anyway, and that was something he would never and could never forgive himself for. Not that he'd have long for regrets. The predators would find him eventually. Almost on cue he heard growls and gasped, looking up. Raptors! Four of them! One holding a fresh kill that for one dreaded moment he thought was his brother before realizing, in indescribable relief, that it wasn't. But that left him one more problem. They were after him. Strut would come back to a body, and that was something unacceptable to Ozzie. Not that he could do much about it. Only hope and pray they finished him off so well that there wouldn't be a body left to come back to. Maybe it would help his brother let go in the long run, not to have seen a body. Besides, he wanted his sibling to remember him as he was in life, not as he was in death. It would be easier, then. Theoretically.

The raptors lunged. Three of them did, that was. The fourth stayed back to guard their already killed kill. They leapt onto him and Ozzie shrieked in pain as they began tearing strips of his flesh off of his body and sinking their teeth into him. Suddenly a massive tail whipped from seemingly nowhere, sending the raptors that had been on him flying off. Ozzie gasped, looking up. He cried out in alarm on seeing what it was. In front of him stood a massive diplodocus! Just what he needed. Another longneck. Oh joy. However, he wasn't complaining at the moment. You see, the diplodocus was defending him!

The raptors roared at the long-neck and lunged. Easily the long neck parried them, tail whipping viciously and scattering the group. _The flash of grey. The raptors sprawling._ The long-neck looked down at Ozzie coldly, calculating. The raptors lunged again. Again the long-neck batted them away and bellowed. The raptors began backing off. The diplodocus approached them dangerously, bellowing again loudly. They hissed at it and turned, racing back to the fourth, who was defending their original kill. The four glowered darkly. The diplodocus watched them a long moment then turned attention back to Ozzie. Ozzie swallowed uneasily. Smelling him a moment, and causing Ozzie to hiss and growl at him, the long-neck drew back.

"You're in troubles, friend," the dinosaur remarked. Ozzie didn't speak. "Think you can walk?" he asked.

Ozzie was silent a long moment. "I don't know," he finally replied.

"Well, we'll be fixing that soon enough," the long-neck said. It used its tail, knocking the log off of Ozzie and causing him to scream in pain. Oh but it felt so good to have it off of his spine. He supposed the fact he could still feel was a good sign. At least, he hoped it was. The dinosaur whipped some of the rocks over and over until Ozzie was free. The raptors were hissing and roaring in rage. How dare this long-neck take their kill?! They tried to move again, but the long-neck bellowed, whipping its tail at them again. They growled, drawing back. They had enough food as it was, they knew. They could let this go for now. A bonus kill wasn't worth their lives. Struthiomimus didn't taste all that great anyway. Too similar to them in appearance to sit really well with them anyway.

Ozzie tried to stand but only collapsed with a gasp. It seemed his worst fears were coming true. He tried again and collapsed a second time, but this time the diplodocus caught him with its tail and helped him stay up. Ozzie whimpered weakly. Oh it hurt so badly. At least he had stopped bleeding some days ago, though. Which was a relief as much as it was a curse. He'd hoped he'd bleed out so he wouldn't suffer long. When that hadn't happened, enough said. Ozzie looked warily up at the diplodocus. "Why are you helping me?" he suspiciously questioned.

"Promised my protection to the helpless and the poor," the dinosaur answered bluntly.

"Well I was neither, thank you very much," Ozzie grumbled, pride insulted.

"I'm sure," the diplodocus replied. He looked over at the raptors. "Best we be getting you away from them."

Ozzie was hesitant. "I… can't… My brother will be coming back soon," he answered.

"He'll be walking into his death if we don't move from here. Sooner the raptors lose interest, sooner they leave. Might save your brother's life," the longneck replied.

Ozzie was hesitant. He wanted to argue, but he was too light-headed right now to see a flaw in the plan this longneck proposed, though he knew there were some. He was betting this one was banking on that, though. Whatever the case of it, he finally nodded in reluctant agreement. The dinosaur picked him up and put him on his back. He began moving deliberately and warningly passed the raptors. They got out of his way, dragging their kill to where Ozzie had lain and growling darkly after the long-neck. They settled and began to devour their meal. They ate until there was nothing left but bones and blood. When their dinner was done, they left. There was nothing of interest in that spot for them anymore.

End Flashback

"As I found out, the longneck's name was Doc. The Lone Dinosaur, of all the preposterous titles," Ozzie continued. He trailed off, looking up at the sky. "We saw you, you know… We saw you come back… But I couldn't move or walk. I couldn't go to you and he couldn't leave to tell you what had happened, or I would _really_ have been prey. He didn't dare get me onto his back again for fear he would aggravate the injuries more."

Strut listened in awe and relief and amazement and so many other emotions he didn't even know them all. "Ozzie!" he sobbed, hugging him tightly. Ozzie sighed deeply and hugged his brother tightly back.

"I believe these belong to your little herd," Ozzie said. Strut gasped, looking up. From behind Ozzie peered two little familiar faces.

"Hop, Skip!" Strut exclaimed in relief, diving to the ground. They laughed in delight, jumping into Strut eagerly. "You're okay!"

"He pulled us out of the river, Strut, see!" Skip said, pointing at Ozzie who was rolling his eyes in annoyance. "He saved us!"

"He's your brother," Hop said in awe.

Strut, grinning, suddenly gasped. And he knew about the herd! But how could he have known unless… He looked at Ozzie, hurt and confusion in his eyes.

Ozzie sighed. "There is a lot of explaining and poor excuse giving to give. We will get into that on our way back to your little pack," he said to Strut, turning and walking away. Strut, confused and concerned, hurried after him. His brother was alive… His brother was alive! He grinned widely up at Ozzie. He was running at his brother's side again! He hadn't felt so right and so whole and so complete for so long now. He nuzzled Ozzie suddenly and affectionately. Ozzie looked over at his sibling, smirking dryly with a hint of vague annoyance, though the annoyance was faked if ever there was a faked emotion. Ozzie nudged him lightly back, making Strut grin. In that moment he couldn't think of a single thing Ozzie could say that would make him resent him or that he would demand an excuse for. His brother was alive and here, and that was all that mattered to him. Well, that and his relief that Hop and Skip were alive still too.


	6. Reasons

Reasons

"The night in the cave, the first one before you met the pack, was not a dream…" Ozzie murmured, nuzzling his brother lightly as they curled up for the night. The pack had gotten much farther than Strut had even begun to imagine. It would take a bit of time to catch up. Hop and Skip were snuggling in the back, sleeping soundly.

Strut looked up at him, hurt in his eyes. "What?" he whispered.

"You were half asleep. What you saw wasn't a vision in the storm. It was me," Ozzie admitted.

"But-but why didn't you… why didn't you stay…?" Strut began.

"Because we both needed this," Ozzie answered. "And I saw the truth of that when I saw you weathering the storm alone… _You_ needed this… You needed to grow and learn and expand. I couldn't stay and be your enabler. Not when you were growing so fast and so quickly right before my eyes, and I realized… I realized, then, that I was the one holding you back… And perhaps myself too… In a sense I needed that separation as bad as I saw _you_ did… Our whole lives we have been only with each other. No one else, just us against the world."

"I liked it that way," Strut said.

"But it was hurting you… It was hurting us both, but you most of all. So many opportunities I took from you… We had chances to join packs before," Ozzie murmured.

"I remember the one pack. The one you said we couldn't join," Strut replied, thinking back. "I wanted to but you said we couldn't. But I was too young to make that kind of choice then, Ozzie."

"No… no you weren't…" Ozzie answered. "You were old enough, but I took that choice from you…"

"Why?" Strut asked, looking wounded.

"Because I would not have gone with you," Ozzie answered. "I am a dominant male, the leader of that pack was a dominant male. Two males as dominant as he and I could not have worked together. Not without bloodshed and pain. I wasn't about to back down and nor was he. It should have been your choice whether you wanted to go with them or not… I just didn't want it to be…"

Strut's eyes widened in understanding. "You… you were afraid I wouldn't choose you…" he said.

Ozzie was quiet, looking out over the view of the valley of mists. "Yes…" he admitted. "I was terrified you wouldn't choose me… I didn't want to be alone…"

"Was that always the only reason you stayed?" Strut sadly asked.

"No," Ozzie answered. "No… I stayed for more than that…"

"Why?" Strut asked.

Ozzie glared at him. "Are you really going to make me say it?" he growled. Strut blinked innocently, as if he didn't know what the other meant. "I stayed because you were my brother and I loved you. The idea of being separated from you terrified me more than anything ever had," Ozzie admitted with a frustrated sigh, turning to look at the view again. "As I said, the separation was good for us. Both of us. I needed to learn to be something more than a brother and provider. I needed to learn to be alone again. And you… you needed to know what it was to be someone other than the struthiomimus your brother forced you to be. You needed to know what it was to live and to be without abuse or cruelty or coldness… That was something I always took from you because you leaned so heavily on me and relied on me for everything. Food, shelter, water, life… You needed to learn to rely on you. To trust in yourself… But I watched… I followed and watched, when our paths would cross… I too dreamt of this valley. I too dreamt that it was where we would meet again… When I did, I left. I had to. I couldn't stay watching you forever because then the separation would do nothing for me… Just the promise we would see each other again was enough to help me let go and wander alone."

LBT

"I liked things as they were…" Strut murmured sadly.

"But it wasn't good for us," Ozzie answered.

"But now things might not ever be the same," Strut said tearfully. "I don't like change."

"No one does, but it's all part of life," Ozzie replied. He noted his sibling's forlorn expression. "Dear brother, things have not changed as much as you believe."

"They haven't?" Strut questioned.

"No, though perhaps it would have been better if they had," Ozzie replied, going to the back of the cave and laying down to sleep while Strut curled up in the front. "I was never so much your brother as I was the thing you could cling to for life and protection."

"That isn't true," Strut argued.

"Even if it isn't, the fact of the matter is you don't need me anymore, Strut. You are better off without me than you ever were with me. Those others, they care for you, admire you, appreciate you… They are everything I couldn't be. A family," Ozzie said.

"Don't say I don't need you anymore because I do! I am _not_ better off without you, and _you_ are everything I needed or wanted. _You_ are my family, not them, you! You were my caregiver, you were my father and mother, and you were my best friend! Above everything else you are my brother and I love you!" Strut shot. "Don't say I'd be better off without you because then you might leave again!"

"It appears I wasn't gone away long enough," Ozzie bit, frowning at him. "I'm not leaving again, Strut. That I can promise. At least not forever… But you have _them_ now. You are not alone. Even if I can't be with you always like we used to be, you are not alone. They are there for you now."

"But they aren't you," Strut replied stubbornly.

"Stubborn little… Go to sleep, Strut," Ozzie said. Strut tilted his head then sighed, laying down.

"You'll be here when I get up?" he asked.

"Of course I will," Ozzie replied. "And for every moment after, even if not right at your side." Namely because the same problem back then persisted now. Two dominant males would not bode well, and he was not going to take his brother from this pack too. He'd just… have to be around enough to alleviate Strut's suspicions so that he didn't choose to follow him instead of his new family. He watched as Strut fell asleep. Soon he too laid down and slept.

LBT

Thunder boomed, shaking the cave and jerking Ozzie awake with a gasp. He looked up and around, then sharply at Strut almost expecting the other to come to him like always… He didn't… Strut laid still, sleeping soundly. "If it's the last thing I do I'll see you weather a storm alone…" Ozzie murmured to his sibling's sleeping form. His smirk fell to a sad look. It just… didn't feel the same with Strut not practically diving over to his side. Ozzie laid down to try and sleep, but sleep wouldn't come. He gasped at another clap of thunder, looking worriedly up and around. He looked to Strut again. It made him a little sad, he noted, that the other wasn't diving over to his side to cower from it. It felt wrong. After a long moment he rose and silently moved over towards his sibling. This was so backwards. He realized, then, that he had needed his sibling as much as Strut had needed him… He came alongside his brother and laid awkwardly down next to him, glancing over. It was supposed to be the other way around, he couldn't help but think.

Strut started awake, feeling something snuggle close to him. He looked over. Ozzie. Strut realized the storm outside, suddenly, and looked sharply over, eyes wide… It didn't scare him like it used to… Maybe Ozzie had been right. The separation was good for him. For them. He looked over at his brother. But, he still preferred cuddling close to his sibling to being alone through it. He smiled and began to groom his big brother lightly. Ozzie glanced up at him with a vaguely annoyed look before closing his eyes and allowing it. When Strut paused, Ozzie returned the favor and soon the two were settled down and drifting to sleep soundly side by side. It seemed so much more right now…

"I love you, Ozzie," Strut murmured tiredly.

"I love you too, Strut," Ozzie replied.

LBT

Morning came. Strut yawned, waking up. He gasped, almost fearing last night had been a dream. He looked quickly over and was for a moment afraid. His brother wasn't there! No, no, please don't let it have been a dream. It couldn't have been, it couldn't! He'd never survive if it had been. He would sooner die! "Ozzie? Ozzie!" he called out. "Oz…" he began, starting to stand.

Suddenly his brother leapt in front of him. "Would you stop screaming? I told you I would be here now shh. The children are still sleeping," he said. Strut blinked at Ozzie then turned. Sure enough Hop and Skip were fast asleep. "Now eat up. As soon as they've eaten as well, we're on our way again to find your little pack. Preferably before the mother and father of those two hellions die in their grief."

"They aren't _that_ bad, Ozzie," Strut defended, snuggling his brother briefly before taking the food Ozzie had brought.

"Oh yes they are," Ozzie answered, glaring at the children.

"How did you pull them out?" Strut asked.

"I waded in and grabbed them," Ozzie answered. "Fortunately for them, they weren't far out. Then they followed me as I chased you down the riverbank."

"So those weren't visions after all," Strut said.

"No they were not," Ozzie replied. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, taking on that blasted plesiosaurus yourself."

"I had to save them," Strut defended.

"Yes, quite," Ozzie deadpanned as he settled down and began eating. Strut shrugged and began eating his green food and shellfish. He was touched Ozzie had brought him greens and shellfish instead of eggs. Maybe Ozzie _had_ changed for the better. At least for a little bit.

The children yawned. Ozzie looked back at them coldly. "Morning kids," Strut cheerily said to them. They yawned again, coming over.

"What's for breakfast?" Hop asked.

"Green food and shellfish," Strut replied, pointing at the pile Ozzie had brought back for them.

"Yay!" the children cheered, diving in.

"I get to grab lunch," Strut said to Ozzie, smiling.

Ozzie blinked then smirked. "Very well," he agreed. It felt… good not having to do all the work as he used to. It felt strange too, and that would take some getting used to, but in a good way...

LBT

Lunch had come and gone. It was coming on dinner, now, and the little ones were exhausted. Even Strut was yawning tiredly. Ozzie was rolling his eyes at them all. He darted around a corner and slid to a stop on seeing a figure approaching up ahead. "Doc!" he called out. The long-neck stopped, looking back.

"That's Doc?!" Strut exclaimed in shock, mouth agape.

"This the brother you always talked about?" Doc asked.

"Yes to both of you," Ozzie answered. "Have you seen a pack of our kind run by?"

"Matter of fact I have. That way. They've stopped for the night," Doc said, extending his neck in the direction they'd gone.

"Thank you," Ozzie said, hurrying on.

"You saved my brother," Strut said, not following immediately. Ozzie sighed in annoyance and stopped, folding his arms and tapping his foot as he waited impatiently for the conversation to end.

"I did," Doc confirmed. He blinked in shock as Strut suddenly hugged his leg.

"Thank you," Strut exclaimed, looking up at him gratefully.

"It was my pleasure," Doc replied. "He was good company, whenever we crossed paths afterwards. Final stretch to here was made together." Strut nodded then hurried to catch up to Ozzie and the kids. Ozzie harrumphed and nodded to Doc casually before darting off again.

"Mutual understanding," Ozzie explained vaguely to Strut. Strut didn't push, but he got the feeling it was more like friendship between the two by now. Which was definitely something Ozzie would never confess to ever. Not in a million years and not to anyone. Not even himself.

LBT

They arrived near to the settled struthiomimus pack coming on twilight. The children peered over and saw their parents huddled together and crying, looking at an empty nest they'd built. "Mommy, daddy!" the two little ones cried out, bursting through the bushes and causing all of the herd to look sharply up.

"Hop, Skip!" their mother and father screamed together, racing to their children and scooping them up, weeping and begging to know what happened. Strut stepped out too, carefully.

"Strut, you're alive!" Chris screamed, leaping up and running to him, hugging him tightly and making Strut cough and squirm a bit to loosen her grip, lightly holding her back. Immediately the others began to swarm Strut and the two children.

"How did you make it, all of you?" Thief demanded of the children and subadult.

"Strut's brother saved Hop and I!" Skip said together. Needless to say, that shut all of them up. On cue, from the bushes came another struthiomimus none of them had ever seen before, looking surly and suspicious and guarded.

"Your brother…?" Rylie finally managed to ask Strut, who wandered back to Ozzie.

"It's a long story. Everyone, meet my brother, Ozzie," Strut said, gesturing at Ozzie. He then proceeded to introduce Ozzie to the rest as they watched incredulously. And in Sienna's case, interestedly. What? He was cute. When introductions had been made, Ozzie, Strut, and the two children went through telling the whole story over again...

LBT

"What a tale," Don said at the close of it, while most of the others were drifting back to doing whatever it was they'd been doing.

"So, you're the brother Strut could hardly stop talking about. The one that taught him all his little survival tricks," Sienna remarked, pacing around Ozzie with a sly smirk on her face.

"At least something got through to him," Ozzie replied to her, suspiciously and guardedly watching the female pace around him with a bewitching look in her eyes. He couldn't help the smirk that crossed his lips. Alright. He would admit intrigue. She was pretty enough. And unattached. And very fertile and very much in the middle of mate seeking if the pheromones she was secreting were anything to go by. Wait, what? He slapped himself and viciously turned away from her. He could feel her eyes boring into him from behind and could just imagine her chuckling at him. An unattached female in heat. Just what he needed now. Humph. He couldn't be bothered with a mess like that. And certainly not if it would produce, yuck, offspring. If he had been searching for a mate, she would have known it. He would have found her long before now. He'd certainly sensed a mate-seeking female for a long while now.

"Why so cold, stranger?" she purred, brushing up next to him. Ozzie blinked at her blankly as she walked on passed. And noticed a little late that his neck was stretching out after her. He mentally slapped himself this time, jerking back. It wasn't happening. Not now and not for a long while yet. What was with the sudden interest he was displaying anyway? Oh as if he didn't know. His mind wasn't consumed with keeping himself and his brother alive, this round. Strut could fend for himself now, and that was one thing less he needed to worry about which left a vacant spot in his thoughts to turn towards more… pleasurable possibilities. Would it hurt to pursue, he wondered? Ugh, he was doing it again! Another mental slap.

"Were I looking for a mate, I would have found you long ago," Ozzie answered bluntly, folding his arms in annoyance. "You've certainly been leaving an obvious enough trail."

"What's the harm in it?" she purred, rolling onto her back playfully, then her stomach again in a submissive pose, blinking seductively up at him. Ozzie's mouth dropped. She made a point… No! No, bad Ozzie! He slapped himself mentally again and leapt over her.

"You're too forward for my liking. I prefer pursuing," he said to her.

"You really think I'd be this easy for you to get?" she asked. Ozzie stopped, turning back to her and blinking. This had just gotten much more interesting. He did love a pursuit…

"Enough from you," Thief bit sharply at Sienna. Sienna frowned at him and got up, harrumphing. Ozzie shot Thief a cold look. Just as things were getting amusing too. Strut was looking at Ozzie in confusion and Ozzie snapped back to himself.

"Don't give me that look," Ozzie bit at his brother.

"What look?" Strut asked, playing dumb.

"You know the look very well!" Ozzie shot.

"You're welcome among the herd, friend. As long as you remember who's in charge here," Thief said coldly and guardedly to Ozzie. He sensed, you see, that this was a dominant male like him. A very dominant one. That meant he was a threat. A far more direct threat than Strut had ever been. Apparently Ozzie sensed the same, because he was watching him just as warily.

"As long as the one in charge seems worthy of the title of leader, I'll force myself to tolerate it," Ozzie replied. "So far running his group into a raging river and nearly getting my brother killed is all I've really seen of him yet. It hardly bodes well." Thief's eyes narrowed at Ozzie dangerously and he hissed. Ozzie hissed back.

"Ozzie, come on, leave it please," Strut pled, tapping his brother's shoulder. Ozzie turned to him then grimaced, backing down from Thief. For now.

"Well, this promises to get interesting," Don deadpanned to Marcus and Rudy. Marcus grimaced. Rudy sighed, shaking his head. Oh joy.

 _Eight Months Since Arrival_

Strut heard movement. Movement? He snorted awake, blinking confusedly and looking guardedly around. Wait, where was Ozzie? He frowned in concern and stood up. "Ozzie?" he asked the darkness. He heard movement in the grass and looked over. Tilting his head curiously, he silently began to move towards it. He peeked into it and saw his sibling slinking through it. "Ozzie, where are you going?" Strut questioned.

Ozzie stopped and turned around sharply. He rose up to his full height. So much for slipping off undetected. Strut approached him curiously. "Since your 'leader' seems too intent on sleep to bother setting up watches for the night, I've taken it upon myself to do so," he answered. Which was mostly true. At least this time.

"So you're on patrol then?" Strut asked.

"I suppose," Ozzie answered.

"Oh, well I'll come with you," Strut cheerily said, smiling at his brother.

Ozzie cringed. He wasn't a fan of the idea. In fact he would much rather slip away undetected. He sighed, finally, and nodded. "Come on then," he said. He started off, Strut following.

LBT

Strut looked curiously at his sibling. Ozzie didn't seem happy about his being here. He didn't like it. His brother had never minded him tagging along before, had he? "Um, Ozzie?" Strut asked.

"What?" Ozzie asked.

"Why do you seem… I mean I feel like, well, like you don't… want me here," Strut finally mustered the courage to say, dreading the answer.

"That's because I don't," Ozzie replied.

Strut cringed. Ouch. "Why?" he asked sadly, stopping.

Ozzie stopped and glanced back at his sibling in annoyance. Finally he sighed and turned. "Because I may not return for a few days," he answered.

"Again?" Strut asked worriedly. "You've been disappearing for days at a time more and more often. I don't like it. What if something happened to you and no one ever knew? Why do you always go for so long?"

"Because I am not part of your pack, Strut!" Ozzie sharply barked.

Strut started, blinking. "Yes you are," he said in response, confused. "I mean you always stay with us, don't you?"

"What did I tell you, when I told you about the pack that I didn't give you the choice to join all those years ago?" Ozzie asked.

Strut looked confused. "That two dominant males couldn't be in one together, otherwise it would end badly," he answered. "But you've gotten along fine so far with Thief."

"Because I am not part of Thief's pack. I never have been and never will be. Think, brother. How often, really, am I with you all?" Ozzie asked.

"Well, pretty often," Strut answered uneasily, but he was starting to get the picture. Thinking about it now, Ozzie was on his own far more often than he was with the pack. How had he not clued into that yet?

"Often enough to ensure you don't miss me too greatly before coming back. At least once a week," Ozzie said. "And even that is rare. Usually it is twice," Ozzie said. Strut was quiet, head bowed. He wanted to protest, but he got the feeling he didn't want to speak right now. He didn't want to know. "You are fond of the pack," Ozzie said.

"Yes, but…" Strut began.

"I will not take you from another chance at friends, Strut. Or a chance to have a family of your own," Ozzie said.

"What, you mean Chris?" Strut asked, looking flustered. "Th-that's silly. We-we aren't looking to start up anything! I-I mean she's just a friend!"

"I said nothing about Christine, little brother," Ozzie deadpanned. Strut looked more flustered still.

"W-well _you_ have a chance too! Sienna has an interest in you and everything. If you would just…" Strut began.

"If I stay, Strut, either Thief or I will end up dead," Ozzie deadpanned. Strut started, eyes wide as he blinked at his brother. "Two dominant males in one herd will only ever end in tears and death. I will not make you see that, I will not take away this herd from you, and I will not leave you alone again. I have come to visit as often as I can without causing friction between Thief and I, and even _that_ is too often and too risky as it is."

Strut, head bowed, looked sharply up, eyes narrowing. "That isn't fair! Why can't things just be like they used to? I'm sure if you'd try you would fit in too! You just never bother trying!" he shot at his brother.

"Strut!" Ozzie sharply shot. Strut fell silent, looking at him with wide eyes. "That is enough. Things have not changed that much. You hardly know I'm gone half the time and when you know I've left, time passes quickly and I'm always back before you know it, am I not?"

"Yes," Strut admitted.

"You have made a home for yourself with them. You need to stop worrying about me. I have stayed with Doc and I have often returned here. I will continue to," Ozzie said.

"But-but what if the herd moves?" Strut asked.

"Then I will follow," Ozzie replied. "For now I will continue staying nearby and helping watch over them, that I promise, and you have seen as much."

LBT

Strut, head bowed, soon looked up at his sibling again. "What if something happens to you? Or what if another great earthquake separates us?" he asked.

"You, baby brother, are ridiculously paranoid," Ozzie replied. "When I say I'll do something, I'll do it. Get it through your head and for once don't be stubborn."

"Let me follow you, Oz," Strut said. "If I hardly know you're gone now, if we keep visiting the pack often, they'll hardly know either."

"If you follow me, brother, I will have no reason to return there," Ozzie replied.

"I get the feeling you will," Strut said. Sienna was still secreting pheromones and still mate seeking.

Ozzie started, blushed, and began sputtering before finally blurting, "I am not looking for a mate!"

"Excuse me, Ozzie…" Strut began.

"End of discussion!" Ozzie sharply shot.

"I think she really likes you! She's had lots of shots with other males but she's always turned them down flat even in heat! That she's showing interest in you at all is a miracle. I mean you must have _something_ different about you, otherwise she wouldn't even give you the time of day let alone flirt with you. Sienna's frigid," Strut defended.

"Go back home. Now," Ozzie sharply ordered, pointing.

"My home is with my brother," Strut stubbornly refused.

"Why? Why are you so contrary? Where did I do wrong in raising you?" Ozzie demanded. "You have no reason to be showing me this much loyalty now go home. To your _other_ home, if your primary home is with me."

Strut cringed and bowed his head. "Okay," he finally relented. "But I don't like this arrangement. Not at all." Sulkily he turned and went back. Ozzie sighed, looking down. Neither did he…

LBT

Doc, sleeping, glanced up as he heard Ozzie approaching. "Have a good visit?" he asked.

"More or less," Ozzie replied.

Doc watched him dubiously. "You'd like to stay with the herd," he remarked.

"The herd, yes, Thief no," he answered. "I am not about to submit to him. Goodness knows I've tried, but each time doesn't end well. And he certainly isn't about to submit to me. I'm not giving up my dominant position to him."

"You give up your dominant position or you give up your brother," Doc bluntly said. Ozzie started, stiffening, and looked sharply up. "What would you rather lose? Authority or family? Think about it."

Ozzie was quiet. "I'm not going to lose Strut regardless of my choice," he answered.

"Maybe not in the way you think, but in another way you might," Doc replied.

Ozzie was quiet. "Who asked you?" he finally replied, laying back down to sleep. Doc shrugged and lay down once more himself.


	7. Loyalty

Loyalty

(A/N: And last chapter. I had fun writing this and I hope that my readers had a fun time reading it. Thank you again to all reviewers past, present, and future. I know this was short, but it was kind of a pet project of mine for a while, and rather than leaving it to sit on my computer, I wanted to post it here, so I hope you all enjoyed it.)

Panting, Ozzie ran through the green. He leapt out of a field of tall grass and looked around, listening. He heard nothing. Nothing meant trouble. At least where _this_ pursuer was concerned. He started running again, panting. He dove into more tall grass and peeked warily out, eyes narrowed. Nothing. Maybe it was safe after all? He hesitated. This was the ultimate choice. If he chose wrong, there would be no going back. Finally he dared creep from the tall grass, looking warily around. Still nothing. He didn't dare smirk to himself lest he jinx his luck. He prepared to start running again when suddenly there was a screech from behind!

He cried out in terror and alarm as something pounced on his back, bringing him down to the ground! "Get off of me! Someone help!" he called frantically struggling. The thing that had pounced began to laugh, keeping him pinned.

"You aren't going anywhere," she hissed to him.

"Let me go, woman!" Ozzie demanded, trying to pull free.

"Uh uh, I don't think so," she replied.

"Sienna!" Ozzie furiously yelled.

"Mate with me," she breathed into his ear.

"Forget it!" Ozzie shot.

"Mate with me," she said again, rubbing closer to him.

"You have three seconds to get off of me before I throw you off!" Ozzie insisted. "Didn't I tell you I like doing the pursuing?"

"Then pursue me," she answered. "I'm ready for it."

Ozzie growled sinisterly, but it seemed Sienna wasn't about to be deterred. Finally, grumbling, he replied, "Very well."

Sienna smirked. "If you catch me, I'll leave you alone forever," she said to him. "But if you can't, you mate with me."

Ozzie smirked coldly. "You have no idea what you are messing with," he replied to her. Sienna chuckled then turned and fled top speed.

LBT

Immediately Ozzie went after her. It was apparent very quickly that he was faster, but she maneuvered easier, he was loathe to realize. Nonetheless, he was slowly but surely gaining on her. She suddenly darted around a rock. He cried out, slamming into it and yelping in pain. He shook it off and scowled. He wasn't about to lose this game. Instantly he raced after her again.

She looked back, smiling wickedly. "How cute! You're actually trying to keep up," she called back to him.

"I promise you this, you will be caught soon enough," Ozzie answered.

"I relish it," she replied.

"Not when it means you never bother me again," Ozzie retorted.

"Is that why you're taking so long to catch up? Because you don't _want_ me to never bother you again?" she called back.

"You are imagining things," Ozzie replied, speeding up and quickly closing distance between them. She darted around another corner. He slid to a stop barely in time then raced around it as well, cursing himself under his breath. She was leaping nimbly up some rocks. She paused, looking back, and gave that blasted smile of hers that made him feel suddenly flustered and weak. He began leaping up after her. She reached the top and ran again. He leapt up as well and looked around for her. He saw her tail vanish around a corner and raced to catch her. He came around the corner and stopped, eyes lighting up in delight. She was trapped!

He smiled wickedly. "Now I have you," he said, approaching her almost predatorily. She gasped, turning, and frowned, eyes flashing in annoyance. She pondered jumping over him for a moment, wondering if she could get away with that. She prepared to try. He caught the look in her eyes and cried out as she raced at him and leapt over his head. "Huh?!" he exclaimed in shock, spinning. She was running again. Oh he didn't think so! He scowled and darted after her at top speed with an angered screech. She looked back and gasped as he seized her, knocking her down to the ground and holding her there, possessively standing over her.

She scowled at him in disgust. "Well played," she bit coldly. She cursed herself for getting trapped. The last thing she wanted to do was stop playing this little game, but a deal was a deal. Of course, she'd probably go back on her word eventually, but for now she would leave him be. "Let me up and I'll be on my way."

She tried to get up, but he pinned her firmly. "Oh no you don't. You've made me work too hard and too long for you, now I have no _intentions_ of letting you go!" he shot. Especially when he recalled all the male struthiomimus from another herd that had found its way here, nosing around. He had seen them watching as she darted passed, and they had wanted her alright.

"You have no use for me, so let me up," she bit.

"No use for you, hmm?" he asked, nuzzling her head. She started then smirked wickedly, tilting her head and letting him nuzzle her neck.

"You aren't looking for a mate, remember? But there were plenty of others searching," she said.

"Save your excuses for someone else," he bit. "Those males can find some other female to harass."

"What do you mean?" she asked, playing oblivious.

"Let's just say we both are coming out winners in this. You get what you want, I get what I want. Now… let us seal the deal," he said to her nuzzling her again.

"Don't you want a competition with others?" she purred.

"Forget it," he replied. "I am a jealous and possessive dinosaur."

"Those aren't ideal traits," she purred innocently.

"Don't think for a moment I haven't noticed you driving off every female that's come within a mile of me," Ozzie replied.

"Ozzie, that was innocent fun," she replied.

"Was it? Well now you and I are going to have some not so innocent fun," he replied, still nuzzling. He looked up and gave a loud screeching sound, warning off any other male struthiomimus that may have gotten curious and decided to follow this female. He roared again for good measure then turned to her. "You wanted a mate, you have one."

"Mmm," she replied. She laughed darkly. "Good." He smirked wickedly and crawled on top of her, then began to 'play' said not so innocent games more than a little roughly with her. She gave a screeching roar that was something between pain and pleasure. arching her neck back.

LBT

The two were returning to Thief's pack. Personally, Ozzie was hoping nothing had been conceived during their little play time. He was nowhere near ready for that, but what was done was done. Sienna probably didn't care either way. She was just pleased she had a mate, and she made that very clear to him. Lightly she licked his neck. He smirked at her wryly. "Have you decided to join Thief's herd?" she asked.

"Don't make me laugh," Ozzie replied.

"Then why are we returning there?" she questioned. "I'm your mate now. I'm no longer part of his pack."

"You need to at least inform the others of this sudden partnership between us," he answered.

"They'll figure it out themselves," she replied. "But very well." She looked uneasy a moment. Ozzie looked curiously at her, frowning. Uneasy did not bode well. "He won't be happy, you know. It may… escalate."

Ozzie cringed. She had a point. "Humph, if it escalates so be it. I will be ready for Thief," Ozzie replied. "You are my mate now, and if he doesn't like it too bad for him. He can find his own."

"He's been mated to Deborah for quite a while now," she replied, smirking. "He wouldn't be unimpressed because _he_ wanted me as a mate. No. He'd be upset because he's come to see me as something of a sister or daughter figure."

"That would have been nice to know earlier!" Ozzie shot sharply. She chuckled coldly as they neared the herd.

LBT

Strut was first to notice their coming, while he was sharing a meal of greens and shellfish with Chris and casually flirting with her. Or the other way around. Or together. He lit up. "Ozzie, Sienna, there you two are!" he called out, rising along with Chris. "Come eat with us, Oz. There's plenty to go around."

"Very well," Ozzie agreed, going to his brother and Chris with Sienna trailing behind. "There's an announcement we have to make anyway."

"An announcement?" Janine asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Sounds interesting. What's the scoop?" Riley questioned.

"I have a mate now," Sienna sang out excitedly.

"A mate? Oh Sienna, that's wonderful! Who finally won?" Julie asked, smiling at her.

"It wasn't exactly a competition," Sienna replied, smirking.

"Oh yes it was, albeit it wasn't two male struthiomimus fighting over a female. It was more a catch me if you can scenario," Ozzie said. Thief sharply looked over, eyes narrowing. Strut suddenly noticed the tense pose his brother was in, as if expecting to end up having to fight something. "If I caught her, she stopped harassing me. If I couldn't, I had to be her mate, so I caught her and decided to be her mate anyway."

"What?!" Thief roared, leaping up furiously.

"Ozzie?!" Deborah asked, rising. "Sienna, that's wonderful!"

"No it isn't!" Thief shot sharply. He turned sharply to her. "What were you thinking? He's an outsider!"

"Yes, well the only other eligible male in this pack was Strut, and he's a little too young for my liking," she replied.

"You could have mated with someone from another pack! At least then you'd have the whole group's protection. Ozzie is alone!" Thief shot.

"Yes, Ozzie is alone. Well, was. Come on, Thief, think of this as his first steps towards ending up with a pack of his own," Sienna replied.

"What safety can you give her, loner? What can you offer her?!" Thief demanded of Ozzie, who was dangerously rising and growling in his throat.

"Ozzie, don't," Strut pled, seizing his brother's arm and trying to pull him down again.

Ozzie shook his sibling off, giving him a scathing glare, and faced Thief. "Absolutely nothing. But then I have kept a brother alive with absolutely nothing for a good long while now. It was her who chose me, not the other way around," he answered. "She is my mate now, Thief. Get over it."

Thief screeched at him angrily and lunged. Ozzie let the other tackle him, if only to knock them both away from a stunned Strut and Chris, then rolled and immediately began fighting back viciously, clawing and biting—they had no, or very small, teeth true enough, but their beaks were powerful—and tackling each other, tumbling around on the ground, kicking, whatever they could to best one another. It was apparent very quickly that Ozzie was the stronger and more agile of the two, his being a good deal younger than Thief. However, Thief had experience under his belt, and it was proving to be a match for Ozzie.

The two tousled on the ground until finally Ozzie rolled, throwing Thief and making him slide away. Ozzie leapt at him again. Thief seized the other and quickly pinned him, to the shock of Ozzie who gasped in pain. Thief immediately tried to claw the other's throat. "Thief, no!" Strut exclaimed, leaping forward and seizing his leader's arm, pulling it back in an effort to save his brother. He pulled Thief off of Ozzie and the two tumbled to the ground. Ozzie scrambled quickly up, scowling and protectively watching Thief and Strut lest Thief decide to turn his rage on Strut.

Thief shook his head, hissed wickedly at Strut, then stood up. Strut gulped nervously. Thief glared at him then turned to Ozzie. "Get out of here. Never come back! If I catch your scent within one-hundred feet of my pack, I _will_ kill you," he threated.

"If you can," Ozzie bit back. Not that he was inclined to risk that. Thief had bested him this round, much to his disdain, so he wasn't exactly inclined to try again to beat the older struthiomimus anytime soon.

"I can," Thief assured. Ozzie was quiet. "Take your mate and get out. You're never coming near again." He turned to the others. "And any who seek him out are banished as well! If I catch his scent on any one of you, that's it. You are no part of this pack anymore."

Strut gasped, paling. "You can't include _me_ in that!" he exclaimed fearfully. "Ozzie's my brother!"

"Then go follow your brother," Thief replied icily. "You follow him or you follow me."

Strut looked stunned. Chris looked terrified. Ozzie looked ready to murder, outraged at the choice Thief had given his sibling. "Strut has nothing to do with your issues against me!" Ozzie sharply shot. "Keep it between us, Thief! My brother does not have to suffer because of your stubborn pride!"

"I am the leader here and what I say will go! If he follows you, he's no part of us! That is _it_!" Thief shot back.

Strut looked devastated. Ozzie shifted uneasily, worry in his eyes. He looked at his brother. Strut should not have to make this choice… His eyes narrowed and he turned back to Thief loathingly. "If-if that-that's my choice then… then I choose…" Strut began.

"You choose the herd," Ozzie cut off, glaring at Strut.

"Excuse me?!" Strut exclaimed, shocked at the words.

"You choose Thief, Strut, are you deaf?!" Ozzie snapped sharply. "I will not have you choosing me! Not now, not ever! I am tired of you following me around like a lost hatchling getting on my every nerve. You were never any use to me anyway. You will stay put or the next fight I get in will be with you!"

"Then it'll be with me!" Strut defiantly yelled at his sibling. "I see what you're doing, Oz, don't think I don't! I choose you and you can't make me choose otherwise because it's my choice!"

"Hah! Do you even know what you're saying?!" Ozzie demanded. "What part of you will lose everything do you not understand? Friends, a chance at a future, a mate, _family_ …"

" _You_ are my family!" Strut shouted.

" _They_ are your family!" Ozzie shot. "It takes more than blood to make a family, and they give you everything a family is!" He forced himself to take a breath, closing his eyes as he willed himself to get a handle on his temper. He hated how shakily said breath came out. Tiredly he opened his eyes again. "Little brother, stay with the herd. Please… I know you love them dearly. Even their leader." Thief cringed, glancing away uneasily.

"I love you more," Strut firmly answered. "I'm staying with _you_ … Even if it means I lose out on more…" He glanced at Christine ruefully. Longingly. She caught her breath at the gaze, looking shocked.

"Strut…" she began, moving towards him. She wanted to try and talk him into staying. She didn't want him to leave! Strut whimpered and shook his head, quickly hurrying away from her and going to Ozzie and Sienna. He looked sadly back at the others. Chris, feeling near tears, closed her eyes tightly, shook her head, then looked up determinedly once more. Immediately she raced towards Ozzie, Sienna, and Strut.

"Christine!" Marcus exclaimed in shock.

Chris looked back. "I-I'm sorry. But Sienna is my sister and Strut… He's the best friend I have ever had…" And maybe one day more. "I won't say goodbye to them. I'm so, so sorry…" Goodness knew how painful it was to leave. She had been with this pack since she was a hatchling, and now… But you know, though part of her regretted it, most of her didn't. She felt… she didn't know. Okay with this.

Ozzie cringed, feeling worse and worse by the second. He got the feeling Thief was feeling about the same, given the uneasy looks they'd just exchanged with each other. But if Thief wasn't backing down, neither was he. Thief nodded. "Very well," he finally said. "If that's your choice… Anyone else?"

None of the others moved to follow. "So be it," Ozzie said. With that he turned and wandered away. Sienna followed along with Strut and Christine.

Thief closed his eyes tightly. "Maybe banished was a bit harsh of a term to use," Don remarked.

"Maybe the whole thing was," Marcus bit more bluntly, glaring at Thief unimpressed. Thief was quiet. He knew they were right. Suddenly he darted off.

"Thief!" Deborah called.

"He'll be back," Rudy assured her as Hop and Skip looked near tears, frightened of what was happening.

LBT

Thief was quick to catch up to the other four. "Ozzie!" he sharply shot. Ozzie rolled his eyes, looking about ready to ignore, but Strut's pleading look made him stop.

With an exasperated sigh, Ozzie turned. "What do you want this time?" he demanded.

"You are free to return, any of you. Or stay near to our own pack, if nothing else," Thief reluctantly said.

"Why would I want to after the way we were treated?" Ozzie demanded sharply.

"This isn't for you or me! This if for them!" Thief barked sharply, gesturing at the others.

Ozzie cringed, looking back at the other three who looked so hopeful. Finally he sighed in annoyance. "Agreed," he said, nodding at Thief. Thief nodded back and went to the other three. Sienna hugged him tightly, smiling gratefully. She was glad. She didn't want to have to say goodbye to him, or them, forever. Chris was quick to hug him as well. Strut looked more uncertain. Thief nodded at him. Strut smiled and went to him, hugging as well. Ozzie rolled his eyes hopelessly, shaking his head. Thief nodded to them all then left the mini pack alone.

"He's not such a bad guy, Oz," Strut defended.

"Shut up," Ozzie replied with a scoff, turning and starting onward again. Strut grinned, coming up alongside him. Chris and Sienna followed excitedly. Their own pack! This was so exciting! They began chatting animatedly to one another. Ozzie and Strut exchanged looks. Strut smiled at his brother. "You know, you are an absolute imbecile to be so loyal to me," Ozzie said, shaking his head affectionately.

"Maybe so, but I don't regret any of it," Strut answered. Ozzie chuckled affectionately, nuzzling his brother. Strut grinned and the four broke into a run to find their own territory to occupy. Ozzie sensed it wasn't over quite yet, not everything, but for now at least, things were at peace and balanced again.


End file.
